Fig. 2

Associations between tumour mRNA levels and tumour characteristics. The mRNA expression levels (log2-transformed and median-centred) of TGFB1, TGFB2, TGFB3, TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 (labels on y-axis) were compared between different subgroups of breast tumours (grouped by tumour characteristics, labels on x-axis) from different cohorts (titles on each panel). The analysis were initially performed in the TCGA cohort or in the GEO cohort, and the tests with p-values <0.05 were verified in the RT-qPCR cohort. Comparison of tumour TGFB1 mRNA levels by (a) regional lymph node status and (e) triple-negative status. Comparison of tumour TGFB3 mRNA levels by (b) ER status, (c) PR status, (f) triple-negative status and (g) tumour grade. Comparison of tumour TGFBR1 mRNA levels by (d) HER2 status. The number of patients (n) of each tumour subgroup was shown under each boxplot. The estimated relative mRNA expression levels (Fold) in the tumour subgroup on the right side in each panel (Positive, False or grade 3, presented as white boxplot) versus the one on the left side (Negative, True or grade 2, presented as grey boxplot), 95 % confidence intervals and p-values were calculated from the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. ^a The data presented were standardized, thus no fold change was calculated. ^b The relevant values were calculated for grade 2 and grade 3 tumours