Effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide on vascular calcification in rats

objective To observe the effect of exogenous H_2S on vascular calcification in rat.Methods vascular calcification in rat was induced by administration of Vitamin D_3 plus nicotine.To Estimate the extent of calcification by Von Kossa staining,calcium content,45Ca2+ deposition and alkaline phosphatase activity.Osteopontin (OPN) mRNA was determined by competitive quantitative RT-PCR.Results A strong positive staining of black/brown areas among the elastic fibers of the medial layer in calcified aorta by Von Kossa staining,Calcium content,45Ca2+ accumulation and ALP activity in calcified arteries increased by 6.77-,1.42-,and 1.87-fold as compared with the controls;The expression of OPN mRNA is up-regulated(P0.01).However,calcium content,45Ca2+uptake and ALP activity in VDN plus NaHS group were lower than those in VDN group.Low and high dosage NaHS obviously relieve degree of calcification in the cardiovascular tissues in a dosage-dependent manner(P0.01).Conclusion H_2S plays a role in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification by reducing vascular calcification.