Hydrogen sulfide in precision medicine: connecting basic science, sensing, and clinical application

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is a vital endogenous signaling molecule implicated in cardiovascular, neurological, respiratory, and cancer pathophysiology.
• Accurate monitoring of trace H 2 S levels is essential for understanding disease progression and therapeutic effectiveness.
• Existing detection methods require improvement for clinical applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advancements in H 2 S detection technologies for medical applications.
• To highlight the potential of spectroscopic techniques, especially Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (QEPAS), for H 2 S sensing.
• To explore non-invasive breath and skin gas analysis for H 2 S monitoring in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on H 2 S detection technologies and their medical applications.
• Focus on spectroscopic methods, particularly QEPAS, for high-sensitivity H 2 S detection.
• Integration of H 2 S biology, sensing technology, and clinical applications, emphasizing breath and skin gas analysis.

Main Results:

• QEPAS demonstrates high sensitivity and selectivity for H 2 S detection in biological samples.
• Breath and skin gas analysis are promising non-invasive approaches for H 2 S monitoring.
• Optimized QEPAS for medical settings offers a transformative tool for disease screening and therapeutic research.

Conclusions:

• H 2 S plays a critical role in various disease states, making its monitoring valuable for diagnostics and therapeutics.
• QEPAS and other spectroscopic techniques show significant promise for non-invasive H 2 S detection.
• Bridging basic research, sensor technology, and clinical needs is key to advancing H 2 S applications in precision medicine.