Aging cell
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Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). The present study was designed to examine the therapeutic effect of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S, a novel biological gas) on PD. The endogenous H(2)S level was markedly reduced in the SN in a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD rat model. ⋯ TNF-alpha and nitric oxide) in the striatum via NF-kappaB pathway. Moreover, significantly less neurotoxicity was found in neurons treated with the conditioned medium from microglia incubated with both NaHS and rotenone compared to that with rotenone only, suggesting that the therapeutic effect of NaHS was, at least partially, secondary to its suppression of microglial activation. In summary, we demonstrate for the first time that H(2)S may serve as a neuroprotectant to treat and prevent neurotoxin-induced neurodegeneration via multiple mechanisms including anti-oxidative stress, anti-inflammation and metabolic inhibition and therefore has potential therapeutic value for treatment of PD.