Figure 3

MICA SNP genotypes with mRNA and soluble protein levels. MICA relative expression levels were determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR using paired-tumour (HCC) and adjacent non-tumour liver tissues (non-HCC) from 21 HCV patients (a). Note that mRNA expression of MICA MI genotype was significantly down regulated in HCC group. N = 11, 5, and 5 in MA, HE, and MI genotypes, respectively. Median protein levels in HCC or non-HCC samples with MA, HE, and MI genotypes are shown as horizontal lines inside the box of interquartile range (b). The whiskers are the maximum and minimum values. We assessed the difference in the median values among genotypes by using Kruskal-Wallis tests (p = 0.1284 in HCC group; p = 0.0498 in non-HCC group).