title: Quantitative analysis of the decay of immunoreactivity in stored prostate needle biopsy sections.
abstract: Application of immunohistochemistry to assess the presence of prognostic tissue markers is used widely. The quantitation of these markers may be hampered by a time-related loss of antigenicity in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue stored on glass slides. Potential loss of immunohistochemical staining intensity was studied on prostatic needle biopsy sections stored for a maximum of 4 years with antibodies against p27kip1, CD-44s, MIB-1, and androgen receptor (AR). In benign tissue, the positive/total ratio for p27kip1 was determined, while CD-44s staining intensity was assessed semiquantitatively. For MIB-1 and AR, nuclear staining intensity was assessed using computed image analysis. An exponential and significant decay of immunoreactivity was seen for p27kip1, CD-44s, MIB-1, and AR, with half-lives of 587 days, 214 days, and 290 days for p27kip1, MIB-1, and AR, respectively. Immunohistochemical assessment of prognostic tissue markers on stored slides must be considered with care in research and clinical settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Josephine Nefkens Institute, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Vis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kranse
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Nigg
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: van der Kwast
mesh_terms: D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000032:analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013997:Time Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
chemical_list: D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27