Fig. 9

Clinical relevance. Samples obtained from lung cancer patients were used to study the mRNAs of Sp1 and CD44 including the standard form (CD44s) and short form (CD44st) by q-PCR. After three independent experiments were completed, the results were quantitated, and statistical analysis was performed with a Pearson Correlation analysis, r < 0: negative correlation (A). Samples of normal and tumor tissues obtained from 8 cohorts were used to study the levels of Sp1 and CD44 by Western blotting with anti-Sp1 and anti-CD44 antibodies (B). The levels of Sp1 and CD44 in 51 lung cancer clinical cohorts were studied by IHC. All the cohorts were divided into two groups, high and low, based on the signal (C, a), and the survival rates (C, b) of women and men with lung cancer based on Sp1 and CD44 levels were analyzed. The survival rates of younger (< 55 years) lung cancer patients with Sp1-low or Sp1-high (C, c), Sp1-low/CD44-high or Sp1-high/CD44-low (C, d) levels were analyzed with Kaplan–Meier survival curves. Working model: E2 increases RNF4 expression to enhance Sp1 degradation, thereby decreasing miR-3194-5p expression and resulting in an increase in CD44 expression in younger female lung cancer patients (D)