DAVID analysis showed that the ischemia-associated ncAA-containing proteins were involved in the following signal transduction and regulatory pathways (Table 3): (1) smooth muscle contraction; (2) scavenging of heme from plasma; (3) heat shock transcription factor (HSF)1-dependent transactivation; (4) tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) synthesis; recycling, salvage and regulation; (5) attenuation phase; (6) erythrocytes taking up oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide; and (7) endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation. Here, NOS3 is linked to ischemia.