title: Perils of immunohistochemistry: variability in staining specificity of commercially available COX-2 antibodies on human colon tissue.
abstract: We assessed the immunohistochemical (IHC) staining patterns of three commercially available COX-2 antibodies in human tissues. The location of positive stain in sequential serial 4-mu sections of formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue differed considerably. Staining patterns ranged from diffuse cytoplasmic to occasional perinuclear staining. Thus, marked variability in staining results from use of different antibodies, making it important to consider the antibody used when comparing reports of COX-2 staining from different investigators.
authors.affiliation: Hematology-Oncology Section, Tucson Veterans Affairs Hospital, 3601 S. 6th Ave., Tucson, Arizona 85723, USA.
authors.forename: Harinder
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Garewal
authors.forename: Lois
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ramsey
authors.forename: Ronnie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fass
authors.forename: Nancy K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Harris
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bernstein
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000276:immunology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000276:immunology*; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010544:Peroxidases; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases