Figure 1.
Loss of GPx3 expression in BAs. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was performed on 42 BAs using iCycler (BioRad), in a comparison with 19 normal esophageal and gastric mucosa samples. The horizontal axis shows sample numbers, whereas the fold expression in tumor samples compared to normal is shown in the vertical axis. The expression fold was calculated according to the formula: 2(Rt - Et)/2(Rn - En), as described elsewhere [34]. Each bar represents one tumor sample. Downregulation is shown as negative expression fold values. The displayed mean expression fold for each tumor sample is calculated in comparison with expression in 19 normal samples. The standard error of the mean is shown (±SEM). The expression of GPx3 was normalized to the expression of HPRT1, which showed minimal variation in all normal and neoplastic samples tested. The loss of GPx3 mRNA expression was universal and did not statistically correlate with any of the histopathologic parameters investigated.