Figure 2

MIF protein expression within either primary colorectal or metastatic hepatic tissue correlates with colorectal cancer severity. Immunostaining with anti-MIF antibodies in either primary colorectal tissue: normal intestinal mucosa (A), adenoma (B), carcinoma (C), or secondary hepatic tissue: morphologically normal (D, > 5 cm from the secondary tumor site), or metastatic (E). Note the increased MIF expression, as indicated by increased brown color, in either the primary tumor—where colorectal carcinoma > colorectal adenoma > normal mucosa, or metastatic hepatic tissue. Original magnification, 400× (A–C) or 200× (D–E).The percentage of cells expressing MIF increases with colorectal cancer severity (F). Colorectal tissue from healthy volunteers or patients with adenoma or carcinoma was stained with anti-MIF antibodies and random fields (500 cells each) were scored as MIF positive. The histograms represent the mean ± SEM percentage; ***P < 0.001 between all groups.