10.1039/c9cc05153h
The study focuses on the controlled release of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenous signaling molecule with antioxidant properties that can ameliorate dopaminergic neuronal degeneration, particularly in Parkinson's disease models. The researchers designed and synthesized novel peptide constructs that self-assemble into nanostructures in aqueous medium and release H2S in a controlled manner. The chemicals used in the study include 2-(2-methoxy-4-(5-thioxo-5H-1,2-dithiol-3-yl)phenoxy)acetic acid (ADT-COOH), which contains an H2S-releasing dithiolethione (DTT) moiety, and aromatic dipeptides such as Phe-Phe, Dopa-Phe, and Trp-Trp. These peptides were conjugated with ADT-COOH to form conjugates I, II, and III, respectively. The purpose of these chemicals was to create peptide-based self-assembled structures that could serve as delivery systems for H2S, with the aim of reducing oxidative stress and increasing dopamine levels in transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a model organism used to study human diseases. The study demonstrated that these conjugates could significantly reduce ROS-induced oxidative stress and enhance dopamine levels, with conjugate III showing the most promising effects.