Hydrogen sulfide and epigenetics: Novel insights into the cardiovascular effects of this gasotransmitter

Epigenetics studies the heritable modifications of genome expression that do not affect the nucleotide sequence. Epigenetic modifications can be divided into: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and modulation of genome expression by non-coding RNAs. Alteration of these mechanisms can alter the phenotype, and can lead to disease onset. The endogenous gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H₂ S) plays pleiotropic roles in many systems, including the cardiovascular (CV) system, and its mechanism of action mainly includes S-persulfidation of cysteine residues. Recent evidence suggests that many H₂ S-mediated biological activities are based on the epigenetic regulation of cellular function, with effects ranging from DNA methylation to modification of histones and regulation of non-coding RNAs. This review describes the role of H₂ S-regulating epigenetic mechanisms, providing a panorama of the current literature, and offers a novel scenario for the development of H₂ S-releasing 'epidrugs' with a potential clinical use in the prevention and treatment of many CV and non-CV disorders.