Fig. 2

CXCL12-CXCR4 chemotaxis mediates mast cell migration and accumulation in GC tumors. a Statistics analysis of CXCR4⁺ mast cell percentage in total mast cells in each samples of patients with GC (n = 26). Expression of molecule CXCR4 on mast cells by gating on CD45⁺CD117⁺FcεRI⁺ cells. Color histograms represent staining of CXCR4; black, isotype control. Tumor-infiltrating CXCR4⁺tryptase⁺ mast cells were defined by immunofluorescence staining. Green, Tryptase; red, CXCR4; and blue, DAPI-stained nuclei. Scale bars: 10 μm. b The correlations between mast cells and CXCL12 production in GC tumors were analyzed. Results were expressed as percentage of mast cells in CD45⁺ cells and CXCL12 concentration in tumor tissues of patients with GC. c CXCL12 concentration between autologous tumor and non-tumor tissues (n = 27) or between autologous TTCS and NTCS (n = 8) was analyzed. d Migration of tumor-infiltrating mast cells was assessed by Transwell assay as described in Materials and methods and statistically analyzed (n = 3). The horizontal bars in panels a and c represent mean values. Each ring or dot in panels a, b or c represents 1 patient. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01 for groups connected by horizontal lines