Histological and immunochemical analysis

Cervical cancer tissue from human patients and mice, respectively were immediately fixed at room temperature in 4% paraformaldehyde for 24 h and were subsequently embedded in paraffin. Consequently, 5-µm thick paraffin sections were evaluated using, immunohistochemistry and the light microscope (magnification, ×20) was used to evaluate staining. Mouse anti-human B7-H1 monoclonal antibody (cat. no. ab210931, dilution 1:100; Abcam) was used for immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemistry was performed according to the indirect streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase method (24). For immunostaining, the samples were incubated with a PE-conjugated secondary antibody (cat. no. ab5881, dilution 1:100; Abcam) and then counterstained with DAPI (Southern Biotech, Birmingham, AL, USA) and observed under a fluorescence microscope (magnification, ×10; Leica DM 2500; Leica Microsystems, Inc., Buffalo Grove, IL, USA).