Fig. 1

AKR1B10 expression in NPC tissues. a AKR1B10 protein expression was detected in 299 NPC specimens, 238 para-carcinoma specimens and 51 benign specimens by immunochemistry. i Immunohistochemical AKR1B10 staining was evaluated by scoring the staining intensity from 0 to 3+ : 0 for no staining (A), 1+ for weak immunoreactivity (B), 2+ for moderate immunoreactivity (C), 3+ for strong immunoreactivity (D). ii According to the standard, AKR1B10 expression was evaluated in: E inflammatory hyperplasia; F adenoid hypertrophy; G para-carcinoma; H undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma; I differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma; J mandibular lymphatic metastasis. iii AKR1B10 protein levels (immunohistochemical staining scoring) were analyzed in 25 randomly selected paired cases of NPC and para-carcinoma. iv AKR1B10 expression levels relative to β-actin were compared in 51 benign, 238 para-carcinoma and 299 NPC tissue specimens (**p < 0.01). b i AKR1B10 mRNA expression detected by RT-PCR in some representative specimens was shown. B, Benign and T, Tumor. ii AKR1B10 mRNA levels relative to β-actin examined by RT-PCR were compared in 32 NPC and 10 benign tissue specimens (**p < 0.01). iii AKR1B10 mRNA levels relative to GAPDH examined by qRT-PCR were compared in 90 NPC and 15 benign tissue specimens (**p < 0.01)