miR-134 has a low expression level in ESCC tissues while PLXNA1 is highly expressed. (a) miR-134 expression and PLXNA1 mRNA expression levels in ESCC tissues and in adjacent normal tissues as determined by RT-qPCR; (b and c) the protein expression of PLXNA1 in ESCC tissues and in adjacent normal tissues as determined by Western blot assay; (d) immunohistochemical staining of PLXNA1 in ESCC tissues and in adjacent normal tissues (200×; scale bar = 50 um); (e) the positive expression rate of PLXNA1 in ESCC tissues and in adjacent normal tissues. ⁎p < .05 vs. the adjacent normal tissues. Measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation and analysed by paired t-test, n = 68. ESCC, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; RT-qPCR, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction; miR-134, microRNA-134; PLXNA1, plexin A1; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.