Comparison of the pattern of expression of Leu-M1 antigen in adenocarcinomas, neutrophils and Hodgkin's disease by immunoelectron microscopy.
The mouse monoclonal antibody anti-Leu-M1 (CD15) recognizes the carbohydrate determinant lacto-N-fucopentaose III, an oligosaccharide believed to be involved in cell-cell interactions. Anti-Leu-M1 is used in surgical pathology as an aid in the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease. Additionally, adenocarcinomas derived from various organs stained positively with anti-Leu-M1 at the light microscopic level. Since mesotheliomas do not display positive reactivity to this antibody, Leu-M1 is clinically useful as part of a panel of antibodies in distinguishing adenocarcinomas from mesotheliomas. Previous work was carried out using post-embedding protein A-gold immunocytochemistry on thin sections embedded in Lowicryl K4M from a patient with Hodgkin's disease of the nodular sclerosing type; intense and precise labeling by gold particles was revealed in cytoplasmic granules, which were often clustered in a perinuclear location, in the Golgi apparatus, and focally along the plasma membrane of Reed-Sternberg cells. Moreover, polymorphonuclear leukocytes demonstrated similar labelling along the plasma membrane and over cytoplasmic granules. To define precisely the intracellular localization of Leu-M1 in human adenocarcinomas, we have performed post-embedding immunoelectron microscopy with the protein A-gold technique on sections embedded in Lowicryl K4M from neoplasms of the lung, stomach, colon, and breast. The pattern of labeling by gold particles indicative of Leu-M1 binding varied in adenocarcinomas of the different organs.
Valente
A M
AM
Department of Pathology, University of Vermont, Burlington 05405, USA.
Taatjes
D J
DJ
Mount
S L
SL
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D016256:Lewis X Antigen