Fig. 1

Expression and source of TSP2 in surgical specimens. a Representative Western blot bands (upper panel) showing TSP2 protein expression in the control group (control, n = 5), LGG group (n = 13), and HGG group (n = 15). Normalized densitometric analyses of Western blots (middle panel) showed a higher level of the TSP2 protein in the LGG (P = 0.028) and HGG groups (P < 0.001) than in the Ctrl group, and a higher level was detected in the HGG group than in the LGG group (P < 0.001). Spearman’s correlation analysis (lower panel) between the WHO grade of glioma and the expression of the TSP2 protein (r = 0.826, P < 0.001). b Representative IHC staining of surgical specimens from the center of LGGs/HGGs and the cerebral cortex of patients with traumatic injuries (control). The magnified view of each image shows the distribution of the TSP2 protein (bar: 100 μm). The average optical density values indicate higher expression of TSP2 in the LGG (P < 0.001) and HGG groups (P < 0.001) than in the Ctrl group and higher expression in the HGG group than in the LGG group (P < 0.001). c Representative IF staining for TSP2 (red) and GFAP (green) in the Ctrl group, LGG group, and HGG group (bar: 100 μm). The enlarged view of each image from left to right shows the TSP2 protein, GFAP ( +) cells, and the colocalization of TSP2 and GFAP. d Representative IF staining for TSP2 (red), NeuN (green), and DAPI (blue) in the Ctrl group, LGG group, and HGG group (bar: 100 μm). The enlarged view of each image from left to right shows the TSP2 protein, neurons, nuclei, and the colocalization of TSP2 and NeuN