FAP and cardiomyopathy: 27,28 In stroma compartment AOIs of advanced-stage hearts, we observed significant increases in markers of activated/differentiated fibroblasts (FAP-alpha and SMA). Again, this is consistent with known advanced-stage cardiomyopathy biology.29 However, we also observed numerous significant shifts in expression of immune-related protein markers in the stroma and myocyte AOIs when comparing tissues acquired earlier vs. later in disease which are not as easily explained.