SOD2 and Schnyder corneal dystrophy: Considering that the endothelium is a primary target for oxidative stress in SCD and that SOD2 is decreased in pulmonary vascular disease, we hypothesized that endothelial cell expression of SOD2 would be reduced in SCD lungs and that suppression of SOD2 protein levels in cultured endothelial cells would lead to mitochondria dysfunction and subsequent endothelial cell dysfunction.