Semicarbazide-Sensitive Amine Oxidase Increases in Calcific Aortic Valve Stenosis and Contributes to Valvular Interstitial Cell Calcification

Figure 1

Expression and activity of SSAO are increased in calcified areas of human aortic valves. (a) SSAO mRNA expression in 55 human aortic valves derived from patients with CAVS was significantly increased in intermediate (I) and calcified (C) areas compared to healthy (H) valve tissue. (b) SSAO protein expression analysed by Western blot and quantified for samples in each group. (c) Specific SSAO activity () significantly increased in calcified (C) valve tissue. Data are presented as the . versus healthy valves. (d) Immunohistochemical stainings of SSAO in human aortic valves compared with isotype control (representative of ). (e) Histological alizarin red (left panels) and SSAO immunohistochemical stainings (right panels) in an intermediate and in a highly calcified aortic valve showing high expression of SSAO in the proximity of calcified zones. The four upper panels present one entire cusp of an aortic valve and the lower panels show micrographs with a 20x magnification.

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