Fig. 1

TCGA analysis shows that TSPAN8 mRNA expression correlates with metastases dissemination and reduced disease free survival of patients harboring cutaneous melanomas. a TSPAN8 mRNA expression distribution across TCGA melanoma cohort: Gaussian finite mixture models (mclust R package) was applied and identified two Gaussian subdistribution in melanoma (TCGA RSEM log2), one relying to absent/low TSPAN8 expression tumors (black lines) and the other to high TSPAN8 expression tumors (red lines). Each bar on the x axis corresponds to one tumor. b Tumor number according to Clark’s level versus TSPAN8 mRNA expression: for each level of Clark classification, the number of tumors expressing absent/low or high TSPAN8 mRNA as well as the percentage of TSPAN8+ tumor are presented for all TCGA samples (n = 414; left panel) or for primary tumors only (n = 100; right panel). c, Sample distribution according to their Breslow thickness for tumors with absent/low or high TSPAN8 expression levels, in the totality of TCGA samples (n = 414; left panel) or for primary tumors only (n = 100; right panel). Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. d Tumor number according to the type of samples (primary tumor, regional cutaneous tissue, regional lymph node or distant metastasis): for each category, the number of tumors expressing absent/low or high TSPAN8 mRNA as well as the percentage of TSPAN8+ tumor is presented for all TCGA samples (n = 414). Fisher’s exact test. e, Number and percentage of samples expressing TSPAN8 mRNA at high level versus low (or absent) level according to the location: in primary tumors or in metastatic samples (n = 414). Fisher’s exact test