Hydrogen sulfide: Recent progress and perspectives for the treatment of dermatological diseases

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is now recognized as a vital endogenous gasotransmitter with a variety of biological functions in different systems. Recently, studies have increasingly focused on the role of H₂S in the skin.

This review summarizes recent progress and provides perspectives on H₂S in the treatment of dermatological diseases.

Three H₂S production enzymes, cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfur transferase (3-MST), are all present in the skin, and it is likely that different cell types in the skin express them differently. Previous studies have demonstrated that H₂S protects against several dermatological diseases, such as burns, diabetic skin wounds, psoriasis, skin flap transplantation, systemic sclerosis, melanoma, and pruritus. The mechanism might be related to the regulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and allergic reactions. H₂S-based therapeutics require certain characteristics for topical delivery, for example, controlled release, appropriate physicochemical properties, good storage stability, acceptable odor, and advanced delivery systems. H₂S-induced S-sulfhydration on proteins are potential novel targets for therapeutic intervention and drug design for the skin, which may lead to the development and application of H₂S-related drugs for dermatological diseases.