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Decay of androgen receptor immunoreactivity in archived tissue by using monoclonal antibody F39.4.1

Publication ,  Journal Article
Dash, RC; Ballo, MS; Layfield, LJ
Published in: Applied Immunohistochemistry
October 7, 1998

Hormone receptor status in neoplasms such as breast adenocarcinoma has been well established as providing valuable prognostic and therapeutic information. Analogous data regarding the significance of the androgen receptor (AR) in prostatic adenocarcinoma are less well documented. A retrospective study correlating AR expression in prostatic adenocarcinoma with clinical outcome would be greatly facilitated if formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissue could be used. However, we had anecdotally noted that formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded prostate tissue older than 10 years demonstrated virtually no immunoreactivity for the AR, whereas recent cases processed in a similar fashion invariably demonstrated immunoreactivity when using the monoclonal antibody F39.4.1. We hypothesized that AR immunoreactivity decayed over time in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material, making retrospective studies of such archived tissue unreliable with this particular monoclonal antibody. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissue from nine prostatic adenocarcinomas was examined at four points in time. Multiple sections from the paraffin block were cut for each case at time A (December 1995), time B (A + 15 months, March 1997), time C (A + 18 months, June 1997), and time D (A + 22 months, October 1997). The avidin-biotin-peroxidase method was used to immunostain these sections with an immunoglobulin G (IgG) kappa monoclonal antibody directed against the AR (F39.4.1 supplied by BioGenex, San Ramon, CA, U.S.A.). A methyl-green counterstain was used to identify the background tissue and highlight nuclei. Image acquisition and analysis were performed by using a CAS 200 image analyzer (Becton Dickinson Cell Analysis Systems, Mountain View, CA, U.S.A.). AR was quantitated by measuring the percentage of the nuclear area demonstrating immunostaining. At least 50 high-power fields of adenocarcinoma for each case at each point in time were evaluated for AR reactivity. Immunoreactivity declined markedly at each data set retrieved from successive points in time. The positive areas averaged for all cases at each time revealed an overall decrease in AR positivity of 12.2% from time A to time B (15 months), a 38% decrease from time A to time C (18 months), and a 39.8% decrease from time A to time D (22 months). AR immunoreactivity in archived, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue appears to decay in a continuous manner when assayed by using the monoclonal antibody F39.4.1. This decay excludes the use of this antibody for retrospective studies that correlate AR status with prognosis or therapeutic response.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Applied Immunohistochemistry

DOI

ISSN

1062-3345

Publication Date

October 7, 1998

Volume

6

Issue

3

Start / End Page

145 / 149

Related Subject Headings

  • Pathology
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1116 Medical Physiology
 

Citation

APA
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ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Dash, R. C., Ballo, M. S., & Layfield, L. J. (1998). Decay of androgen receptor immunoreactivity in archived tissue by using monoclonal antibody F39.4.1. Applied Immunohistochemistry, 6(3), 145–149. https://doi.org/10.1097/00022744-199809000-00007
Dash, R. C., M. S. Ballo, and L. J. Layfield. “Decay of androgen receptor immunoreactivity in archived tissue by using monoclonal antibody F39.4.1.” Applied Immunohistochemistry 6, no. 3 (October 7, 1998): 145–49. https://doi.org/10.1097/00022744-199809000-00007.
Dash RC, Ballo MS, Layfield LJ. Decay of androgen receptor immunoreactivity in archived tissue by using monoclonal antibody F39.4.1. Applied Immunohistochemistry. 1998 Oct 7;6(3):145–9.
Dash, R. C., et al. “Decay of androgen receptor immunoreactivity in archived tissue by using monoclonal antibody F39.4.1.” Applied Immunohistochemistry, vol. 6, no. 3, Oct. 1998, pp. 145–49. Scopus, doi:10.1097/00022744-199809000-00007.
Dash RC, Ballo MS, Layfield LJ. Decay of androgen receptor immunoreactivity in archived tissue by using monoclonal antibody F39.4.1. Applied Immunohistochemistry. 1998 Oct 7;6(3):145–149.

Published In

Applied Immunohistochemistry

DOI

ISSN

1062-3345

Publication Date

October 7, 1998

Volume

6

Issue

3

Start / End Page

145 / 149

Related Subject Headings

  • Pathology
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1116 Medical Physiology