Increased expression of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans in rat hepatocellular carcinoma tissues

Figure 3 Chondroitin sulphate/dermatan sulphate glycosaminoglycan immunohistochemical staining in rat liver tissues. Chondroitin sulphate (CS)/dermatan sulphate (DS) sulphated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) content in liver tissues was stained using 2B6 (+) antibody (dark red). A and C: Control group; B and D: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model group. Long black arrows: Perisinusoidal cells negatively stained by 2B6 antibody; dotted arrows: The cells are magnified in the small boxes; short white arrow: Hepatoma tissues with intensive CS/DS GAG staining; short black arrow: Weaker CS/DS GAG staining in fibrosis and “relative normal” liver tissues adjacent to the hepatoma nodules; E: Comparison of the average integrated optical density (IOD) in CS/DS GAG positive staining in liver tissues between the control and HCC model groups (^aP < 0.05). IOD/area: Integrated optical density per stained area.