Development and Application of Carbonyl Sulfide-Based Donors for H2S Delivery

ConspectusIn addition to nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been recently recognized as an important biological signaling molecule with implications in a wide variety of processes, including vasodilation, cytoprotection, and neuromodulation. In parallel to the growing number of reports highlighting the biological impact of H2S, interest in developing H2S donors as both research tools and potential therapeutics has led to the growth of different H2S-releasing strategies. Many H2S investigations in model systems use direct inhalation of H2S gas or aqueous solutions of NaSH or Na2S; however, such systems do not mimic endogenous H2S production. This stark contrast drives the need to develop better sources of caged H2S. To address these limitations, different small organosulfur donor compounds have been prepared that release H2S in the presence of specific activators or triggers. Such compounds, however, often lack suitable  control compounds, which limits the use of these compounds i...