Fig. 5

a A lower triangular correlation matrix in which coloring is used to highlight the Spearman correlation’s Sidak adjusted significance of the p-value between subjects with and without metastasis for MK2 and every cytokine with all other cytokines. b A rooted correlation network at MK2 of cytokines and chemokines among gastric metastasized subjects. The 1st chain of correlation consists of Mip-1β. The 2nd chain of correlation consists of VEGF. The 3rd chain of correlation consists of TNF-β and IFN-α2. This correlation network reflects the significant interrelationship between MK2 and cytokines/chemokines (red and yellow colored boxes in the SIDAK adjusted correlation matrix)