Hydrogen Sulfide and Its Role in Inflammatory and Degenerative Joint Diseases
A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Outcomes of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 28
Special Issue Editors
2. Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Arthritis and Rehabilitation, Spitalgasse 23/BT88, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Interests: autoimmunity; T cells; fibroblasts; rheumatoid arthritis; osteoarthritis
Interests: hydrogen sulfide; chondrocytes; monocytes; rheumatoid arthritis; osteoarthritis
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a gaseous signaling molecule similar to the gasotransmitters nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, which is recognized for its multiple physiological roles, particularly in the regulation of inflammation and oxidative stress. Imbalances in H2S levels have been shown to be implicated in different inflammatory conditions, including acute pancreatitis, sepsis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and joint inflammation. In the context of degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), H₂S has emerged as an increasingly important biological mediator and potential modulator of disease progression.
H2S inhibits inflammation via the down-regulation of the NF-κB and MAPK pathways, enhances antioxidant defenses by activating the Nrf2 pathway, and mitigates mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Moreover, H2S may alleviate bone and joint pain through the activation of the K-ATP and Nrf2/HO-1-NQO1 pathways. These findings are of particular importance for OA, because for this disease, effective therapeutic agents are still not available, in contrast to RA and other inflammatory joint diseases. Thus, apart from its anti-inflammatory effects, H₂S has been shown to decrease oxidative stress-induced chondrocyte apoptosis, thereby maintaining cartilage integrity.
Deepening our understanding of the role of H2S in joint diseases may lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets stimulating the development of innovative H2S-releasing compounds, especially sustained release donors, which offer promising new treatment modalities for patients with OA and other degenerative joint diseases.
We invite you to submit the results of your latest research or a review article on the role of H2S as an anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective modulator in degenerative joint diseases and the therapeutic potential of H2S-releasing drugs, focusing especially on its chondroprotective effects. We envisage that this Special Issue will help highlight the latest advances in H2S research and further stimulate interest in this gasotransmitter, which plays pivotal roles in multiple biological processes.
Dr. Guenter Steiner
Dr. Burkhard Klösch
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- hydrogen sulfide
- inflammation
- antioxidant
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- degeneration
- chondrocyte
- monocyte
- fibroblast
- drug development
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
