title: Immunohistochemical localization of granzyme B antigen in cytotoxic cells in human tissues.
abstract: Human granzyme B antigen is expressed in cytoplasmic granules of activated cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Recombinant granzyme B was generated using a prokaryotic expression vector under the control of T7 transcription and translation signals. The 25-kd recombinant protein (granzyme B) was used to develop a rabbit polyclonal antiserum. Purified anti-granzyme B antibodies were used to detect the antigen expression in cytotoxic cells in human tissues. Using the avidin-biotin-complex peroxidase technique, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from patients with acute mild or moderate allograft cardiac rejection were stained. A constant cytoplasmic staining of the lymphocytic allograft infiltrate was observed. These results provide a basis for using the anti-granzyme B antibodies for detection of cytotoxic cells in human tissues. The detection and quantitative analysis of the granzyme-associated cytotoxic cells may help to evaluate the significance of these functionally distinct cytotoxic cells in human tissues associated with increased expression of cytoplasmic granule effector molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hameed
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Truong
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kruhenbuhl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tschopp
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001706:Biopsy; D053804:Granzymes; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; C509213:GZMB protein, human; D053804:Granzymes; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases