Fig. 9. N-pivaloyl-D-penicillamine (PiP) lacking the nitroso group of SNPiP does not present SNPiP characters. PiP upregulates neither the ChAT protein expression nor the luciferase activity, even 72 h after the treatment (P<0.01 vs. SNPiP). The SV, EDV, and CO parameters, which are significantly upregulated by SNPiP treatment, are attenuated to control levels with PiP treatment (P<0.01 or P<0.05 vs. SNPiP).