Upregulation of Gal-3 in blood and AVs of CAVD patients. (A) Serum Gal-3 concentration in CAVD and control subjects (n=20); (B) mRNA expression levels of Gal-3 in AVs from CAVD patients and control subjects (n=4); (C) quantification of western blot; (D) protein expression levels of Gal-3 in AVs from CAVD patients and control subjects (n=5); (E) representative pictures of AV sections immunostained for Gal-3 and ALP observed at low (×5, scale bar: 1 mm) and high (×20, scale bar: 100 µm) magnification in controls and CAVD patients. Statistical comparisons were made using Student’s t-test. All of the data are presented as mean ± SEM. *, P<0.05, **, P<0.01. Gal-3, galectin-3; AVs, aortic valves; CAVD, calcific aortic valve disease.