Characterization and Biological Activity of a Hydrogen Sulfide-Releasing Red Light-Activated Ruthenium(II) Complex

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a biological gasotransmitter that has been employed for the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Despite its therapeutic value, the implementation of this gaseous molecule for this purpose has required H2S-releasing prodrugs for effective intracellular delivery. The majority of these prodrugs, however, spontaneously release H2S via uncontrolled hydrolysis. Here, we describe a Ru(II)-based H2S-releasing agent that can be activated selectively by red light irradiation. This compound operates in living cells, increasing intracellular H2S concentration only upon irradiation with red light. Furthermore, the red light irradiation of this compound protects H9c2 cardiomyoblasts from an in vitro model of ischemia-reperfusion injury. These results validate the use of red light-activated H2S-releasing agents as valuable tools for studying the biology and therapeutic utility of this gasotransmitter.