Fig. 8: SOX2 overexpression correlates with elevated histone acetylation and a better prognosis in ESCC tumors.

a Scatter plots of IHC analysis of SOX2 protein levels in tissue microarrays containing normal, hyperplasia, dysplasia and ESCC tumors. Statistical significance was assessed using one-way ANOVA. b The representative IHC images of SOX2 in normal, hyperplasia, dysplasia and tumor tissues (or SOX2 low and high tumors). c Scatter plots of IHC analysis of acetylated H4 (acK5/K8/K12/K16) levels in tissue microarrays containing normal, hyperplasia, dysplasia and ESCC tumors. Statistical significance was assessed using one-way ANOVA. d The representative IHC images of low and high level of acetylated H4 in normal, hyperplasia, dysplasia and tumor tissues. e Linear regression plot showing the correlation between SOX2 and acetylated H4 (K5, K8, K12, K16) levels in tumor tissues. Acetylated H4, acH4. Statistical significance was evaluated using paired-sample Pearson correlation analysis. f, g Overall survival (f) and disease-free survival (g) of low-SOX2 group and high SOX2 group ESCC patients. h, i Overall survival (h) and disease-free survival (i) of low-SOX2/AcH4 and high-SOX2/AcH4 expression ESCC patients (SOX2, low, score ≤11; high, score > 11; acetylated H4 (K5, K8, K12, K16), low, score ≤218; high, score > 218). Statistical significance was assessed using the log-rank test (f, g, h, i) (j) Working model illustrating how SOX2 promotes global histone acetylation and super-enhancer formation in ESCCs. (b, d) Scale bar, upper panel 1000 μm, lower panel 100 μm. In a, c, f–i, “n” represents the number of patients. Source data are provided in the Source Data file.