Ki-67 antigen detection in unstained and destained cytologic samples.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of different tissue preservation, fixation and staining procedures on the expression of proliferation-associated Ki-67 antigen in cytologic samples to establish an easy and uniform way to handle cytologic specimens with an automated staining technique.


METHODS
Multiple touch imprints were made from eight breast tumors. The specimens were treated according to different protocols, and Ki-67 nuclear expression was compared to that in the corresponding histologic sections.


RESULTS
In the unstained specimens, air drying at room temperature for up to four months or ethanol spray fixation preserved the material and offered excellent results. Processing effectively removed previous stain without additional chemical destaining. Antigen retrieval was not achieved in the previously Giemsa stained imprints and was suboptimal in those stained according to Papanicolaou.


CONCLUSIONS
Immunocytochemical detection of Ki-67 is recommended for previously unstained cytologic specimens.
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. stale.nordgard@rit.no
Ståle
S
Nordgård
Anna
A
Bofin
Bjørn
B
Hagmar
D003584:Cytological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods*
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen