SOD3 and cardiac hypertrophy: Furthermore, a novel rat strain with a missense mutation that alters a single amino acid (E124D) of EcSOD that produces a malfunctioning protein (EcSODE124D) in the Dahl/Salt Sensitive (Dahl/SS) background developed age-dependent arterial hypertension, kidney failure and cardiac hypertrophy, suggesting that endogenous EcSOD protects multiple organ systems against extracellular oxidative stress [45].