Abstract: Objective: To observed the effect of sodium hydrosulphide (NaHS), a donor of H₂S on the cell viability,the membrane permeability and the expression of P2X₇ receptor induced by adenosine triphosphate(ATP) in rat microglia.Methods: Rat microglia in logarithmic growth phase was randomly divided into 4 groups. In control group, the cells were cultured without ATP treatment. In ATP group, the cells were treatment with ATP after cultured for 24 hours. In NaHS+ATP group, the cells were incubated with NaHS for 30 min before ATP, and NaHS always existed in the reaction system. In KN-62+ATP group, the cells were pretreated with KN-62 for 30 min, the others were as the same as NaHS+ATP group. The cell viability was detected by MTT. Fluorescent dyes YO-PRO-1 was used to observe the membrane permeability. The expression of P2X7 receptor was examined by immunofluorescence staining.Results: ① Compared with control group, the cell viability dropped after treatment with ATP (1、3、5、10 mmol/L) for 3 hours. When pre-incubation with NaHS(200 μmol/L), the cell viability was apparently higher than that of ATP alone group(P<0.01), while 400 μmol/L had no further beneficial.②The YO-PRO-1 fluorescence intensity was obviously elevated by ATP in rat microglia, but this effect was counteracted by NaHS pretreatment (P<0.01). ③ The expression of P2X7 receptor protein was significantly increased after ATP(3 mmol/L) for 3 h. While the expression upregulation of P2X7 receptor protein induced by ATP was significantly counteracted by pretreating with NaHS(200 μmol/L) (P<0.01).Conclusion: NaHS could reduce the expression of P2X7 receptor, decrease membrane permeability, and increase the cell viability in rat microglia injured by ATP. So the cytoprotection of hydrogen sulfide may be related to the expression and function of P2X7 receptor.

Key words: adenosine triphosphate, purinergic P2X7 receptor, rat microglia, hydrogen sulfide