Statistical analyses
The raw values of gene expression obtained by nSolver Analysis Software version 2.6® (NanoString Technologies) were submitted to a data normalization step, which aimed to correct experimental variables between samples, such as differences in the efficiency of hybridization, purification, or binding. This step was performed using the NanoStringNorm package developed for data normalization and processing in the R statistical-mathematical environment (R-project version 3.2.1; The R Foundation, Vienna, Austria). The normalization method used was housekeeping.Statistical analyses of differential expression in the R environment were performed using the limma package