Table 1.
SOX2 immunostaining and distribution patterns in normal cervical squamous epithelium and premalignant lesions
| Number of patientsa | Histological classification of major and coexisting areas | Number of tissue areasb | Negative areas | SOX2 distribution patterns | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pattern 1 | Pattern 2 | Pattern 3 | |||||
| n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | ||||
| Normalc | 53 | 3 (6) | 50 (94) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
| LSIL | 10 | CIN1 | 10 | 1 (10) | 9 (90) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| HSIL | 15 | CIN2 | 18 | 1 (6) | 6 (33) | 8 (44) | 3 (17) |
| CIN1; CIN1-2 | 4 | 0 (0) | 3 (75) | 1 (25) | 0 (0) | ||
| 28 | CIN3 | 35 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 10 (28) | 25 (72) | |
| CIN1; CIN1-2 | 12 | 1 (8) | 10 (84) | 1 (8) | 0 (0) | ||
| CIN2; CIN2-3 | 21 | 3 (14) | 0 (0) | 13 (62) | 5 (24) | ||
| Total | n = 53 | n = 153 | |||||
Different patterns of SOX2 staining were observed in normal and cervical interepithelial neoplasia (CIN1-CIN3). SOX2 staining patterns: Pattern 1) lower one-third: SOX2 was seen predominantly in the basal/parabasal layer and was weaker in the intermediate layer. Pattern 2) Lower two-thirds: SOX2 seen in the basal/parabasal and intermediate layers. Pattern 3) Upper one-third: SOX2 was seen only in the intermediate layer, with no or very low expression in the basal/parabasal layer
LSIL low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, HSIL high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion
aPatients were classified on basis of the most severe histological area, coexisting areas with a lower grade in these patients are listed separately.
bAll areas with the indicated histological classification were counted.
cNormal areas in patients classified as: no CIN lesion detected, CIN1, 2 or 3