Distribution and characterization of NOTCH3-positive fibroblastic cells in cancer stroma in human OSCC.

<p><b>A:</b> Histology of tumor invasive front. H&E staining. Scale bar, 100μm. <b>B:</b> Distribution of NOTCH3-positive fibroblastic cells. <b>C:</b> Distribution of α-SMA-positive fibroblastic cells. Cells stained brown in <b>B</b> and <b>C</b> represent positive cells for each antibody. Arrows in <b>A</b>, <b>B</b> and <b>C</b> indicate blood vessel layer, which is positive internal control of each antibody. <b>D</b>, <b>E</b>, <b>F:</b> Dual immunohistochemical analysis for α-SMA (red) and NOTCH3 (Green). Co-localization of α-SMA and NOTCH3 in fibroblasts was observed in cancer stroma. Scale bar, 50μm. Ca, cancer cells. Dotted lines in <b>A</b>-<b>F</b> indicate the interface of cancer nests and stroma. <b>G:</b> Kaplan-Meier curve for overall survival in relation to NOTCH3 expression in CAFs using 93 human OSCC cases. Log-rank test was used to calculate significance.