Figure 8

Correlation of RANKL protein expression with Ki-67 protein expression. Regression analysis for expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67 (immunohistochemical (IHC)) versus RANKL protein (IHC) in (a) lobuloalveolar or (b) ductal cells. Correlation between RANKL IHC score and percent Ki-67 positive cells is observed in conjugated equine estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (CEE + MPA) treated animals (R = 0.48, P = 0.009 for lobuloalveolar epithelia, R = 0.6, P = 0.002 for ductal epithelia). The majority of animals within the control and CEE groups (100% and 88%, respectively) did not express RANKL by IHC, precluding an accurate correlation analysis between RANKL and Ki-67 in these groups.