A Dinuclear Persulfide‐Bridged Ruthenium Compound is a Hypoxia‐Selective Hydrogen Sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S) Donor
Joshua J. Woods, Justin J. Wilson
Abstract
Abstract Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is a gaseous molecule that has received attention for its role in biological processes and therapeutic potential in diseases, such as ischemic reperfusion injury. Despite its clinical relevance, delivery of H 2 S to biological systems is hampered by its toxicity at high concentrations. Herein, we report the first metal‐based H 2 S donor that delivers this gas selectively to hypoxic cells. We further show that H 2 S release from this compound protects H9c2 rat cardiomyoblasts from an in vitro model of ischemic reperfusion injury. These results validate the utility of redox‐activated metal complexes as hypoxia‐selective H 2 S‐releasing agents for use as tools to study the role of this gaseous molecule in complex biological systems.