Abstract:Objective To investigate the effect of hydrogen sulfide on myocardial fibrosis and the expressions of connexin 43 (Cx43) and MMP7 in diabetic rats. Methods Fifty-two rats were randomly divided into four groups(13 in each): diabetes mellitus group (STZ group), diabetes mellitus treated with H2S group (STZ+H2S group), normal rats treated with H2S group (H2S group) and control group. The STZ group and the STZ+H2S group were treated with Streptozotocin according to the standard of 40 mg/kg to make diabetes model. After the modeling, NaHS (the provider of H2S, 100 μmol/kg) was administered to the rats of the STZ+H2S group and the H2S group every day; the rats in the control group were injected with equal amount of saline into peritoneal cavity. After 8 weeks, the pathological changes of myocardium in the four groups were observed by VG staining. The expression levels of collagen IV,MMP7 and Cx43 were analyzed by Western blot. Results Compared with the control group, the expression levels of collagen IV and MMP7 in the myocardial tissue were significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the expression level of Cx43 protein was significantly decreased in the STZ group (P < 0.05), accompanied by disorder of myocardial cells. Compared with the STZ group, the expression levels of collagen IV and MMP7 protein in the myocardial tissue were significantly decreased in the STZ+H2S group (P < 0.05), while the expression level of Cx43 was significantly increased (P < 0.05) and the disorder of myocardial cells was improved. Conclusions Hydrogen sulfide could reduce myocardial fibrosis in diabetic rats, which may be related to the upregulation of connexin 43 expression by MMP7.