Immunohistochemical evaluation of estrogen and progesterone receptors in paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed endometrial tissues: comparison with enzyme immunoassay and immunohistochemical analysis of frozen tissue.
Monoclonal antibody (MoAb) 1D5 with specificity to the estrogen receptor (ER), MoAb 1A6, and a polyclonal antibody (PoAb) (the latter two with specificity to the progesterone receptor [PgR]) were used to stain microwave-pretreated sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded normal and malignant endometrial tissues (n = 60). The tissues were previously evaluated for ER and PgR by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (n = 44) and immunohistochemical analysis of frozen tissue (ICAfroz, n = 59). With results of EIA as a reference, the ER-1D5 method yielded a better agreement on receptor status, i.e., positive versus negative (74 vs. 51%) and a higher sensitivity (71 vs. 45%) but a similar high specificity (100%) than the ER-ICA method. Compared with results of PgR-EIA, the immunohistochemical assays for PgR gave similar results as to agreement (86-95%) and sensitivity (95-97%). Quantitative agreement on the fraction of cells stained for ER and PgR by immunohistochemical analysis in frozen and formalin-fixed tissue was obtained in approximately 60% of the cases. The results of semiquantitation were correlated with the results of both ICA and EIA. The MoAbs 1D5 and 1A6, as well as the anti-PgR PoAb, thus seem to be valid for evaluation of ER and PgR status in formalin-fixed endometrial tissue. Differences in the specificity of the Abs and in the sensitivity of the methods used to demonstrate ER and PgR might explain some of the discordant findings.
Department of Pathology, Herlev University Hospital, Denmark.
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Havsteen
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Thorpe
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D003656:Decidua / Q000378:metabolism; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011247:Pregnancy; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D005404:Fixatives; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D005557:Formaldehyde