Author/Editor		Rott, Tomaž; Staniša, Olga; Jerše, Maja; Hvala, Asta; Ermenc, Branko; Eržen, Janez
Title		Influence of heat-based antigen retrieval (HBAR) on possible false-positive immunoreactivity
Type		članek
Source		Forensic Sci Int
Vol. and No.		Letnik 103, št. Suppl 1
Publication year		1999
Volume		str. S37-44
Language		eng
Abstract		Immunohistochemistry is the most helpful ancillary method used in routine biopsy diagnostics. Its results are influenced by fixation of the tissue specimens, absolute level of the antigen, affinity and concentrations of the primary antibodies, duration of incubation, sensitivity of the immunohistochemic (IH) method, and also by antigen unmasking technique. Heat-based antigen retrieval (HBAR) and more sensitive IH techniques may lead to false positive results. They may be sometimes hardly differentiated from unexpected true positive IH results in some unusual, rare and undifferentiated tumours. To avoid false positive IH results, standardisation of all steps in methodology should be applied, including HBAR. pH of the antigen retrieval solution, heating time and temperature, and also the concentrations of each primary antibody should be properly determined. If very high working dilutions of antibodies are demanded, the use of a less sensitive IH method is recommended. For illustration, an oncocytic lung tumour in a 77-year-old male with false-positive IH results is presented, when antigen retrieval solution, pH 9.9, was applied. But it disappeared at the higher primary antibodies' concentrations, using retrieval solution, pH 6.0.
Descriptors		THYROID NEOPLASMS IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY FALSE POSITIVE REACTIONS AGED BIOPSY HYDROGEN-ION CONCENTRATION HEAT ANTIBODIES ADENOMA, OXYPHILIC LUNG NEOPLASMS