Sulfur dioxide: foe or friend for life?
Xin-Bao Wang1, Hong Cui1, Xiao-Hong Liu1 and Jun-Bao Du2
1Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University
and 2Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
Offprint requests to: Professor Hong Cui or Xiaohong Liu, Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Yongan Str. No. 95 West District, Beijing 100050, PR China or Junbao Du, Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China. e-mail: cuihongl00@sina.com (H.C.), lxhong50@sina.com (X.L.) or junbaodu@126.com (J.D.)
Summary. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a toxic gas and air pollutant. The toxic effects of SO2 have been extensively studied. Oxidative damage due to SO2 can occur in multiple organs. Inhaled SO2 can also cause chromosomal aberrations, DNA damage and gene mutations in mammals. However, SO2 can also be generated from the sulfur-containing amino acid, L-cysteine. Recent studies have shown that SO2 has a vasorelaxant effect, and ameliorates pulmonary hypertension and vascular remodeling. SO2 can also reduce lung injury and myocardial injury in rats. In addition, SO2 reduces myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and atherosclerotic lesions. Therefore, SO2 exerts both detrimental and protective effects in mammals. Is SO2 a foe or friend for life?. Histol Histopathol 32, 1231-1238 (2017)
Key words: Sulfur dioxide, Toxic effect, Physiological effects, Oxidative damage
DOI: 10.14670/HH-11-904