The role of hydrogen sulfide regulation of pyroptosis in different pathological processes

Pyroptosis is one kind of programmed cell death in which the cell membrane ruptures and subsequently releases cell contents and pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β and IL-18. Pyroptosis is caused by many types of pathological stimuli, such as hyperglycemia (HG), oxidative stress, and inflammation, and is mediated by gasdermin (GSDM) protein family. Increasing evidence indicates that pyroptosis plays an important role in multiple diseases, such as cancer, kidney diseases, inflammatory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the regulation of pyroptosis is crucial for the occurrence, development, and treatment of many diseases. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a biologically active gasotransmitter following carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NO) in mammalian tissues. So far, three enzymes, including 3-mercaptopyruvate sulphurtransferase (3-MST), cystathionine γ- Lyase (CSE), and Cystine β-synthesis enzyme (CBS), have been found to catalyze the production of endogenous H₂S in mammals. H₂S has been reported to have multiple biological functions including anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, anti-apoptosis and so on. Hence, H₂S is involved in various physiological and pathological processes. In recent years, many studies have demonstrated that H₂S plays a critical role by regulating pyroptosis in various pathological processes, such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, alcoholic liver disease, and diabetes cardiomyopathy. However, the relevant mechanism has not been completely understood. Therefore, elucidating the mechanism by which H₂S regulates pyroptosis in diseases will help understand the pathogenesis of multiple diseases and provide important new avenues for the treatment of many diseases. Here, we reviewed the progress of H₂S regulation of pyroptosis in different pathological processes, and analyzed the molecular mechanism in detail to provide a theoretical reference for future related research.