Activation of the Akt/ mTOR pathway in thymic epithelial tumors.

A. Total and phosphorylated protein expression was analyzed using antibodies directed against total Akt and phosphorylated- Akt (P- Akt) (60 kDa), total mTOR and phosphorylated- mTOR (P- mTOR) (289 kDa), phosphorylated P70S6K (P- P70S6K) (70 kDa) and β-Actin (40 kDa). B. Protein expression (Akt, phospho- Akt, phospho- P70S6K, mTOR, phospho- mTOR) has been measured and expressed as [protein of interest/ actin] relative expression in A (white bars), AB (grey bars) and B (B2 and B2/ B3; black bars) thymomas, thymic carcinoma (TC, hatched bars) or normal thymus (N, dotted bars). Detection have been repeated at least 3 times. Data have been statistically analyzed with an unpaired T test.