Fig. 1Representative microphotographs of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemical stainings. In nodular fasciitis (A, H&E; B, HuR; C, COX-2), the tumor cells show weak or focal HuR staining in the nucleus (B) and weak COX-2 staining in the cytoplasm (C). In dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (D, H&E; E, HuR; F, COX-2), the tumor cells show strong HuR staining in the nucleus (E) and moderate COX-2 staining in the cytoplasm (F). In leiomyosarcoma (G, H&E; H, HuR; I, COX-2), the tumor cells show moderate or strong HuR staining in the nucleus and cytoplasm (H) and strong COX-2 staining in the cytoplasm (I). In liposarcoma (J, H&E; K, HuR; L, COX-2), the tumor cells show moderate or strong HuR staining in the nucleus and cytoplasm (K) and strong COX-2 staining in the cytoplasm (L).
Table 1.Comparison of nodular fasciitis and low-grade sarcoma according to HuR and COX-2 expression
Immunohistochemical reactivity |
Nodular fasciitis (n = 21) |
Low-grade sarcoma (n = 37) |
p-value (chi-square test) |
Nuclear HuR |
|
|
|
Negative |
5 |
6 |
.393 |
Weakly |
8 |
10 |
|
Strong |
8 |
21 |
|
Cytoplasmic HuR |
|
|
|
Negative |
16 |
14 |
.013 |
Weakly |
4 |
12 |
|
Strong |
1 |
11 |
|
COX-2 |
|
|
|
Weakly |
9 |
8 |
.034 |
Moderate |
10 |
14 |
|
Strong |
2 |
15 |
|
Cytoplasmic HuR/Moderate or strong COX-2 |
12 |
29 |
|
Negative |
9 |
7 |
.009 |
Weakly |
2 |
11 |
|
Strong |
1 |
11 |
|
Table 2.Association between nuclear and cytoplasmic HuR immunoreactivity and COX-2 expression in nodular fasciitis and low-grade sarcoma
HuR immunoreactivity |
Nodular fasciitis (n=21), COX-2 positive
|
p-value (chi-square test) |
Low-grade sarcoma (n=37), COX-2 positive
|
p-value (chi-square test) |
Weakly |
Moderate |
Strong |
Weakly |
Moderate |
Strong |
Nuclear |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Negative or weakly |
5 |
6 |
2 |
.497 |
7 |
5 |
4 |
.016 |
Strong |
4 |
4 |
0 |
|
1 |
10 |
10 |
|
Cytoplasmic |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Negative |
7 |
7 |
2 |
.784 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
.024 |
Weakly |
2 |
2 |
0 |
|
1 |
5 |
6 |
|
Strong |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
0 |
6 |
5 |
|