Fig. 1
The RNA (Z-score) and the protein localization of aquaporin4 (AQP4) and plectin (PLEC) correlate in human astrocytomas and glioblastomas (GBMs). A Gene expression (Z-score) of PLEC versus GFAP in healthy controls (HC) (Ai, y = − 0.41 × x + 0.55; R2 = 0.11; P ≤ 0.001;), astrocytoma (Aii, y = − 0.28 × x − 0.31; R2 = 0.059; P ≤ 0.001), and GBM (Aiii, y = − 0.06 × x + 0.13; R2 = 0.004; P ≤ 0.001). Note inverse correlation in all cases. B Z-scores of PLEC versus AQP4 in HC. Note, no correlation in HC (Bi, y = − 0.45 × x + 0.33; R2 = 0.075; P = 0.17), and positive correlation in astrocytoma (Bii, y = 0.34 × x − 0.24; R2 = 0.10; P = 0.0001), and GBM (Biii, y = 0.35 × x + 0.07; R2 = 0.14; P < 0.0001). n denotes the number of patients in (A) and (B). Ci Depiction of immunolabeled AQP4 and PLEC in a slice of human GBM IDH1 wild-type sample with low PI (Ki-67 = 15%). From left to right: DIC image and fluorescence micrographs showing immunolabeled AQP4, immunolabeled PLEC, and an overlay of AQP4, PLEC, and DAPI-labeled nuclei. Yellow color indicates the colocalization signal for AQP4 and PLEC. Sections within the rectangular area are enlarged below. Scale bars: 10 µm (magnified area, 3 µm). Cii The percentage of colocalized PLEC and AQP4 was lower in GBM with high proliferative index (high PI) in comparison with GBM with low proliferative index (low PI) (**P < 0.01, Mann–Whitney U test). Samples were obtained from patients with GBM IDH1 wild-type (three patients with high PI, two patients with low PI). Numbers above the boxplots represent the number of cells analyzed