Moderate hyperoxia (30%–60% O2) in premature infants promotes bronchial airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) via airway smooth muscle (ASM), a key regulator of bronchoconstriction, bronchodilation, and remodeling. Understanding how O2 exposure drives long-term bronchial changes in prematurity is critical for developing therapies for airway disease across the lifespan. Premature lungs have immature antioxidant defenses, potentially due to disrupted mitochondrial dynamics, increasing susceptibility to O2-induced oxidative stress. Thus, mitochondrial homeostasis is highly relevant to ASM dysfunction and airway disease. We propose that hyperoxia in prematurity promotes mitochondrial dysfunction, and that the gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H2S) mitigates O2-induced mitochondrial damage in developing ASM. Human fetal ASM (fASM) cells were exposed to moderate hyperoxia to investigate the effects of exogenous H2S donors (GYY4137, AP39) and stabilization of cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), an H2S biosynthetic enzyme, on mitochondrial structure and function. Hyperoxia impaired fASM cell mitochondrial integrity, while H2S donors in particular, or CBS stabilization attenuated adverse O2 effects on mitochondrial morphology, ROS, respiration, calcium regulation, and contractility. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of H2S in the premature lung exposed to moderate hyperoxia.
Colleen M. Bartman, Michael Thompson, Samantha K. Hamrick, Niyati A. Borkar, Daniel Pfeffer-Kleemann, Preetham Ravi, Marta Schiliro, Yak Nak, Christian Vivar Ramon, Li Drake, Y.S. Prakash, Christina Pabelick
Usage data is cumulative from March 2026 through June 2026.
| Usage | JCI | PMC |
|---|---|---|
| Text version | 1,561 | 0 |
| 627 | 0 | |
| Figure | 848 | 0 |
| Supplemental data | 223 | 0 |
| Citation downloads | 228 | 0 |
| Totals | 3,487 | 0 |
| Total Views | 3,487 | |
Usage information is collected from two different sources: this site (JCI) and Pubmed Central (PMC). JCI information (compiled daily) shows human readership based on methods we employ to screen out robotic usage. PMC information (aggregated monthly) is also similarly screened of robotic usage.
Various methods are used to distinguish robotic usage. For example, Google automatically scans articles to add to its search index and identifies itself as robotic; other services might not clearly identify themselves as robotic, or they are new or unknown as robotic. Because this activity can be misinterpreted as human readership, data may be re-processed periodically to reflect an improved understanding of robotic activity. Because of these factors, readers should consider usage information illustrative but subject to change.