H2S donor SPRC ameliorates cardiac aging by suppression of JMJD3, a histone demethylase

Aims：S-propargyl-cysteine (SPRC) is an endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor obtained by modifying the structure of S-allyl cysteine in garlic. This study aims to investigate the effect of SPRC on mitigating cardiac aging and the involvement of JMJD3, a histone demethylase, which represents the primary risk factor in major aging related diseases, in this process, elucidating the preliminary mechanism through which SPRC regulation of JMJD3. Results：In vitro, SPRC mitigated the elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal), p53, and p21, reversing the decline in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), which represented a reduction in cellular senescence. In vivo, SPRC improved Dox-induced cardiac pathological structure and function. Overexpression of JMJD3 accelerated cardiomyocytes and cardiac senescence, whereas its knockdown in vitro reduced the senescence phenotype. The potential binding site of the upstream transcription factor of JMJD3, XBP1s, was determined using online software. SPRC promoted the expression of cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), which subsequently inhibited the IRE1α/XBP1s signaling pathway and decreased JMJD3 expression. Innovations：This study is the first to establish JMJD3 as a crucial regulator of cardiac aging. SPRC can alleviate cardiac aging by up-regulating CSE and inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways, which in turn suppressing JMJD3 expression. Conclusions: JMJD3 plays an essential role in cardiac aging regulation, while SPRC can suppress the expression of JMJD3 by up-regulating CSE, thus delaying cardiac aging, which suggests that SPRC may serve as an aging protective agent and pharmacological targeting of JMJD3 may also be a promising therapeutic approach in age-related heart diseases.