Fig. 6: mtDNA copy number and mt-mass load.
a Boxplot of mt-CN per cell in the benign (blue, N = 50) and malignant (red, N = 50) tissue samples. Data are presented as boxplots indicating median, 25th–75th percent percentile (box) and minimum and maximum values (whiskers). b Correlation of maximal NS-ET capacity (NSE, y-axis) and mt-CN (x-axis) in benign (BE, blue circles, N = 50) and malignant tissue (CA, red circles, N = 50). Linear correlation was established using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) while correlation was tested for significance using two-tailed t-test. c Mean mt-CNs ± SD in malignant samples without ((−), light red, N = 17) or with ((+), dark red, N = 33) mtDNA mutations, respectively. Data are presented as boxplots indicating median, 25th-75th percent percentile (box) and minimum and maximum values (whiskers). Differences in mean values were tested for significance using Wilcoxon rank-sum test. d Comparison of mt-CN ratios calculated as mt-CNCA/mt-CNBE in tumor samples in low grade (Gleason score ≤7, light red, N = 40) vs high grade (Gleason score >7, dark red, N = 10) tumors. Differences in mean values were tested for significance using Wilcoxon rank-sum test. e–g Tissue immunostaining of mitochondrial markers for mt-mass (VDAC1, e), CI (NDUFS4, f) and CII (SDHA, g) in paired BE and CA tissues, N = 24. Quick scores are presented and differences in mean values were tested for significance using Wilcoxon rank-sum test. h CI/CII marker ratio, stratified according to mt-CI gene mutation load. No HPs in CI genes, (light blue), HP levels of 30-60% (blue) and >60% (dark blue) in CI genes. Data are presented as boxplot indicating median, 25th–75th percent percentile (box) and minimum and maximum values (whiskers). Differences in mean values were tested for significance using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD test. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
