The Effects of Novel Triazolopyrimidine Derivatives on H₂S Production in Lung and Vascular Tonus in Aorta

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), known as a third gasotransmitter, is a signaling molecule that plays a regulatory role in physiological and pathophysiological processes. Decreased H₂S levels were reported in inflammatory respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary hypertension. H₂S donors or drugs that increase H₂S have emerged as novel treatments for inflammatory respiratory diseases. We previously showed that resveratrol (RVT) causes vascular relaxation and antioxidant effects by inducing H₂S production. In the current study, we synthesized a new molecule Cpd2, as an RVT analog. We examined the effect of Cpd2 and its precursor chalcone compound (Cpd1) on H₂S formation under both healthy and oxidative stress conditions in the lung, as well as vascular relaxation in the aorta. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Cpd2 synthesized from Cpd1 with microwaved in basic conditions. H₂S formation was measured by H₂S biosensor in the mice lungs under both healthy and pyrogallol-induced oxidative stress conditions in the presence/absence of H₂S synthesis inhibitor aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA). The effect of compounds on vascular tonus is investigated in mice aorta by DMT myograph. <b><i>Results:</i></b> RVT and Cpd2 significantly increased <sc>l</sc>-cysteine (<sc>l</sc>-cys) induced-H₂S formation in the lung homogenates of healthy mice, but Cpd1 did not. Superoxide anion generator pyrogallol caused a decrease in H₂S levels in mice lungs and Cpd2 restored it. Inhibition of Cpd2-induced H₂S formation by AOAA confirmed that Cpd2 increases endogenous H₂S formation in both healthy and oxidative stress conditions. Furthermore, we found that both Cpd1 and Cpd2 (10⁻⁸–10⁻⁴ M) caused vascular relaxation in mice aorta. <b><i>Discussion and Conclusion:</i></b> We found that Cpd2, a newly synthesized RVT analog, is an H₂S-inducing molecule and vasorelaxant similar to RVT. Since H₂S has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, Cpd2 has a potential for the treatment of respiratory diseases where oxidative stress and decreased H₂S levels are present.