Figure 1.

SOX9 is overexpressed in mouse models and human tissue of intestinal adenomas and colorectal cancer (CRC). (A) mRNA expression of Wnt target genes in Apc^WT and Apc^KO intestines according to quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR); mean ± SD. (B) Sox9 mRNA expression in intestinal lesions from Apc shRNA mice ± K-ras mutation ± doxycycline (Dox)³⁰; mean ± SD Student’s t test P values. (C) Representative histopathology of intestinal lesions (hematoxylin and eosin [H&E], td-RFP immunohistochemistry [IHC], Sox9 IHC) from Lgr5-Apc^f/f;td mice treated with tamoxifen 28 days before harvesting tissue; scale bar = 100 μm. (D) SOX9 IHC in human specimens. Immunostaining was quantified as H-score (left). Paired lesions were analyzed (right). AdCa, adenocarcinoma; HGD, high-grade dysplasia; LGD, low-grade dysplasia; NAT, normal adjacent tissue. (E, F) Representative histopathology (H&E, SOX9 IHC) of human adenomas on the same specimen slide; scale bars = 1 μm, 5 μm, and 20 μm. (G) Kaplan-Meier curves indicating disease-free survival of patients with CRC (left) and non–microsatellite instability (MSI) CRC (right) with indicated expression of SOX9.