Figure 2

Immunolocalization of IGF-I, IGF-IRβ, phospho-MAP kinase, and phospho-AKT in leiomyoma and myometrial tissues.

The immunohistochemical staining was performed on leiomyoma and matched myometrial tissue samples from eight patients with comparable results. Both myometrial (M) and leiomyoma (L) tissues stained positive for IGF-I, IGF-IRβ, MAPK, and AKT; however, IGF-I (A, B) was localized to the cytoplasm of smooth muscle cells and within the fibroblasts in the extracellular matrix in the tumors, whereas, positive staining in myometrial tissue was mostly perivascular and minimal. (C, D) IGF-IRβ staining was observed in the cytoplasm and cytoplasmic membranes and was more intense in tumor smooth muscle cells. (E, F) Phospho-MAPKp44/42 was strongly positive in nuclei of smooth muscle cells in tumor, but minimal in myometrial tissue. (G, H) There were some staining for phospho-AKT, but no staining difference between myometrial and tumor tissues was observed.