In the present study, we used immunoblot analysis to confirm previous large-scale proteomic analysis [7], as well as immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy to assess whether tissue distribution of vimentin, collagen VI, lumican, and vitronectin were also altered in valve-tissue lesions of both RHD and MXD patients as compared to control valve tissue. Here, VTN is linked to rheumatic heart disease.