Fig 2: Changes in ceramide enzyme expression versus housekeeping protein expression in heart and vascular adipose tissue of patients with cardiovascular diseases. (A) Gel photo of Western blots for each protein quantified; (B) Semi-quantitative densitometry analysis performed after the pairwise adjustment of the specific signal for total protein staining. Data are presented as fold change relative to controls (the group of patients with VHD was taken as a unit). * p < 0.05. SAT, subcutaneous adipose tissue; EAT, epicardial adipose tissue; PVAT, perivascular adipose tissue; CAD, coronary artery disease; VHD, valvular heart disease; SPTLC1, serine palmitoyltransferase subunit C1; SPTLC2, serine palmitoyltransferase subunit C2; CERS1-6, ceramide synthase 1–6; DEGS1, dehydroceramide desaturase 1; SMPD1, acidic sphingomyelinase; SMPD2, neutral sphingomyelinase; ASAH1, acid ceramidase; SGMS1, sphingomyelin synthase 1; SGMS2, sphingomyelin synthase 2.