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Background and Purpose: l-cysteine or hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) donors induce a biphasic effect on precontracted isolated vessels. The contractile effect occurs within a concentration range of 10 nM to 3 μM followed by vasodilatation at 30-100 μM. Here, we have investigated the signalling involved in the H 2 S-induced contraction., Experimental Approach: Vascular response to NaHS or l-cysteine is evaluated on isolated precontracted with phenylephrine vessel rings harvested from wild type, cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE -/- ), soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC α1 -/- ) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS -/- ) knock-out mice. The cAMP, cGMP and inosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cIMP) levels are simultaneously quantified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analysis. The involvement of sGC, phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4A and PDE5 are also evaluated., Key Results: CSE-derived H 2 S-induced contraction requires an intact eNOS/NO/sGC pathway and involves cIMP as a second messenger. H 2 S contractile effect involves a transient increase of cGMP and cAMP metabolism caused by PDE5 and PDE4A, thus unmasking cIMP contracting action. The stable cell-permeable analogue of cIMP elicits concentration-dependent contraction on a stable background tone induced by phenylephrine. The lack of cIMP, coupled to the hypocontractility displayed by vessels harvested from CSE -/- mice, confirms that H 2 S-induced contraction involves cIMP., Conclusion and Implications: The endothelium dynamically regulates vessel homeostasis by modulating contractile tone. This also involves CSE-derived H 2 S that is mediated by cIMP., (© 2021 The Authors. British Journal of Pharmacology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Pharmacological Society.)

Background and Purpose: Hydrogen sulphide is an important mediator of gastric mucosal defence. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs continues to be limited by their toxicity, particularly in the upper gastrointestinal tract. We evaluated the gastrointestinal safety and anti-inflammatory efficacy of a novel hydrogen sulphide-releasing derivative of naproxen, ATB-346 [2-(6-methoxy-napthalen-2-yl)-propionic acid 4-thiocarbamoyl-phenyl ester]., Experimental Approach: The ability of ATB-346 versus naproxen to cause gastric damage was evaluated in healthy rats and in rats with compromised gastric mucosal defence. Effects on the small intestine and on the healing of ulcers were also assessed. The ability of ATB-346 to inhibit cyclooxygenase-1 and 2 and to reduce inflammation in vivo was also evaluated., Key Results: ATB-346 suppressed gastric prostaglandin E(2) synthesis as effectively as naproxen, but produced negligible damage in the stomach and intestine. In situations in which the gastric mucosa was rendered significantly more susceptible to naproxen-induced damage (e.g. ablation of sensory afferent nerves, inhibition of endogenous nitric oxide or hydrogen sulphide synthesis, co-administration with aspirin, antagonism of K(IR)6.x channels), ATB-346 did not cause significant damage. Unlike naproxen and celecoxib, ATB-346 accelerated healing of pre-existing gastric ulcers. In a mouse airpouch model, ATB-346 suppressed cyclooxygenase-2 activity and inhibited leukocyte infiltration more effectively than naproxen. ATB-346 was as effective as naproxen in adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats, with a more rapid onset of activity. Unlike naproxen, ATB-346 did not elevate blood pressure in hypertensive rats., Conclusions and Implications: ATB-346 exhibits anti-inflammatory properties similar to naproxen, but with substantially reduced gastrointestinal toxicity.