Fig. 1

Expression of HERG1 is upregulated in ESCC tumor tissues and cell lines and correlates with ESCC clinicopathological characteristics. (a and b) Levels of HERG1 in ESCC tumor tissues and normal adjacent tissues were examined by qPCR (a; n = 86) and western blotting (b; n = 12). (c and d) qPCR (c) and western blotting (d) were used to analyze levels of HERG1 in the indicated ESCC cell lines and normal esophageal epithelial cells; n = 3. (e) HERG1 mRNA was frequently upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma, bladder cancer, gastric cancer, and ovarian cancer (n = 30). Immunohistochemical staining of 349 primary ESCC specimens for HERG1 protein was performed using paraffin-embedded ESCC tissue specimens. (f) Representative images of HERG1 staining according to the TNM stage, T grade, N grade, and survival status of the patients (magnification, 200×). (g–j) HERG1 staining scores and frequency of high, medium, and low protein expression for TNM stages (g), T grades (h), N grades (i), and in relation to the survival of the patients (j); n = 349. (k and l) Kaplan–Meier analysis of the survival rates of patients with ESCC in relation to HERG1 protein (k; n = 349) and mRNA (l; n = 86) expression. *: p < 0.05