Figure 1.

Zofenopril increases H₂S bioavailability. VEH indicates vehicle; ZOF, zofenopril. Effect of vehicle and zofenopril treatment (10 mg/kg PO) at 1, 8, or 24 hours on H₂S levels in mice plasma (A) and heart tissue (B). Zofenopril administration induced a significant increase in circulating and cardiac H₂S levels at 8 hours of treatment as compared with vehicle. C, Immunoblots for cystathionine γ‐lyase (CSE), cystathionine β‐synthase (CBS), and 3‐mercaptopyruvate sulfur transferase (3‐MST) with relative optical densitometry (D through F). 8 hours of zofenopril treatment did not cause any change in CBS (D), CSE (E), and 3‐MST (F) protein expression. G through I, mRNA level of H₂S‐producing enzymes after zofenopril therapy for 8 hours. Zofenopril treatment did not affect CBS (G) or CSE (H) gene expression, but it induced a significant increase in 3‐MST (I) mRNA levels compared with vehicle. Results are expressed as mean±SEM. Number in the circle inside the bar denotes the number of animals used per each group.