Fig. 8

HOMER3 and STn are not co-expressed at the cell membrane in relevant human healthy tissues (thyroid, liver, gallbladder, testis, lung, stomach, pancreas, colon, small intestine, appendix). HOMER3 was not detected in these tissues, except for few cells in the submucosa of digestive organs as well as in thyroid follicular cells, all of which showing weak/moderate cytoplasmic staining. HOMER3 was also detected in respiratory tract secretions, suggesting potential translocation of the protein to the extracellular space, warranting confirmation in future studies. Moreover, HOMER3 was not found at the cell surface of healthy cells, contracting with observations for cancer cells. The STn antigens could only be found in mucinous secretions of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, being also scarcely observed at the cell surface of cells facing the lumen of these organs. No evidence of co-localization between both antigens could be observed