Fig. 1

Sex-related expression of NGAL in AVs harvested from AS patients. A Representative microphotographs of AVs harvested from patients undergoing elective surgical valve replacement with different degrees of calcification. AVs were characterized by Movat staining and NGAL immunohistochemistry. B Transcript expression of LCN2 mRNA (NGAL gene) in AVs (n = 65) sectioned into fibrotic and calcific areas. 18S, GAPDH, ACTA2 and HPRT were used as housekeeping genes and data are plotted as log10-fold changes versus the expression in healthy sections. C Representative microphotographs of AVs from AS patients showing co-localization of NGAL with macrophages (CD68), leucocytes (CD45) and VICs (vimentin). D Proteome profiler array dot blots from men and female-derived stenotic AVs (n = 25 donors pooled per sex). NGAL blots are red-squared within the dot-blot membranes. Reference spots and negative spots are green-squared within the dot-blot membranes. E Densitometric analyses were plotted upon normalization by the reference spots (internal controls) included within each dot-blot membrane. F Scatter dot plot for the expression of NGAL (pg/mL) in whole AVs harvested from men (n = 133) and women (n = 87). Mean ± SEM are shown in red colour within the scatter blots. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01. NGAL Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin, LCN2 NGAL codifying gene, CD cluster of differentiation