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Immunocytochemical identification of amyloid in formalin-fixed paraffin sections

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Summary

Formalin-fixed paraffin sections of livers, spleens and kidneys from patients with primary, secondary and familial amyloidosis as well as from a casein-induced murine amyloid model were analysed by an immunocy-tochemical (unlabeled antibody enzyme) method utilizing antisera to amyloid-related proteins. All amyloid deposits of all amyloid types showed positive reactions with anti-AP of the respective species. Positive reaction of anti-human AA to human secondary amyloid deposits and of anti-mouse AA to the deposits of casein-induced murine amyloid was also observed, but there was no species cross reactivity. No significant deposition of the reaction products was produced by anti-immunoglobulin light chains on deposits of any amyloid type, or by anti-AA in the tissues from primary or familial amyloidosis. The results indicate that amyloid proteins AA and AP can survive as antigens through routine histologic preparation, that anti-AP can be a universal marker for deposits of any amyloid type within the same species, and that AA-type amyloid can be identified by this method while there may as yet be no feasible universal marker for the AL-type at present.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Arthritis Center of Boston University, Boston City Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    T. Shirahama, M. Skinner & A. S. Cohen

  2. the Arthritis and Connective Tissue Disease Section, Boston City Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    T. Shirahama, M. Skinner & A. S. Cohen

  3. the Thorndike Memorial Laboratory and Division of Medicine, Boston City Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    T. Shirahama, M. Skinner & A. S. Cohen

  4. the Evans Memorial Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    T. Shirahama, M. Skinner & A. S. Cohen

  5. the Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    T. Shirahama, M. Skinner & A. S. Cohen

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  1. T. Shirahama
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  2. M. Skinner
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  3. A. S. Cohen
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Shirahama, T., Skinner, M. & Cohen, A.S. Immunocytochemical identification of amyloid in formalin-fixed paraffin sections. Histochemistry 72, 161–171 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00517130

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