Figure 6. Disease- and sex-specific differences in abundance of proteins related to ECM composition.

(A) Clustered heatmap showing the condition’s mean abundance of proteins belonging to ECM-related GO terms. Annotation bars denote significant changes in condition (I) and in sex (II—effect in sex MR; III—effect in sex AS). Proteins described in the text are labeled. (B) Median log₂ of LFQ intensity of all proteins belonging to the ECM; P-values are calculated using a Wilcoxon rank test. (C) Comparison of fibrous tissue content as measured by MRI in AS and MR (C). P-values are calculated using a Wilcoxon rank test with one sample against the reference mean. Dots represent individual subjects. (D, E) Combined results (−log₁₀-transformed P-value) from GO term enrichment analysis in AS and MR versus CON (D) shown in the direction of regulation they were found in and on proteins found increased in male or female AS only (E). (F) Comparison of fibrous tissue content as measured by MRI in AS stratified by sex. P-values are calculated using a Wilcoxon rank test with two samples (female versus male, denoted by brackets). AS, aortic valve stenosis; CON, healthy control hearts; MR, mitral valve regurgitation; ns, not significant.