Immunohistochemical detection of p53 overexpression in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of endometrial carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
In the past, immunohistochemical detection of p53 has been possible only in the case of fresh-frozen tissues. However using CM1 and an enhanced method based on microwave heating and protease digestion enabled the immunohistochemical detection of p53 overexpression in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of endometrial carcinoma, although very few positive stainings were obtained without such an enhanced treatment. To evaluate the enhancement method, a comparative study was performed on frozen materials and paraffin-embedded samples.


METHODS
Fifty-three frozen materials, including normal endometrial glands, endometrial hyperplasias and carcinomas, and paraffin-embedded samples from the same patients were used in this study. PAb1801 (mouse monoclonal antibody) was used to analyse p53 overexpression in the frozen sections, while CM1 (rabbit polyclonal anti-p53 antibody) was used for the paraffin sections.


RESULTS
PAb1801 and CM1 staining on normal endometriums and endometrial lesions showed a significant degree of concordance between frozen and paraffin-embedded materials.


CONCLUSIONS
Enhanced immunodetection of p53 in paraffin-embedded tissues will provide a useful alternative to the usual fresh-tissue assay.
Iwai
K
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saga Medical School, Japan.
Hachisuga
T
T
Iwasaka
T
T
Sugimori
H
H
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D016707:Tissue Fixation; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D005557:Formaldehyde