PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

G R Newman

Publications and source records attributed to G R Newman.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Dinitrophenyl (DNP) hapten sandwich staining (DHSS) procedure. A 10 year review of its principle reagents and applications.

Over the past 10 years an immunoperoxidase method using dinitrophenyl (DNP) hapten-labelled primary or secondary probes has been devised. Its widely successful application in research and diagnostic work has depended upon the development of certain key reagents. These include a novel non-deleterious DNP labelling compound, a unique multivalent monoclonal bridge antibody, and an efficient DNP hapten substituted or anti-DNP linked marker enzyme. In this article the development of these reagents and various modifications of the basic technique are reviewed in conjunction with the special applications accruing from their use.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Strategies for improving the cytochemical and immunocytochemical sensitivity of ultrastructurally well-preserved, resin embedded biological tissue for light and electron microscopy.

Many techniques for processing tissue into resin are available, varying from conventional room temperature to low temperature procedures. The problem is to choose an appropriate method to suit the biological specimen under study. Room temperature approaches with aldehyde and osmium fixation do not give optimal retention of immunoreactivity. Osmium can be removed from sections, but recovery of immunosensitivity is reduced. Osmium post-fixation can be omitted, but heat polymerization of resins causes tissue extraction and loss of immunoreactivity. Alternative techniques rely on the use of milder polymerization methods and avoid osmium. However, while providing an improvement, this alone is not sufficient to maximize tissue reactivity. Fixation with high concentrations of glutaraldehyde (greater than 1%) and processing into resin at either room or low temperature results in retention of similar levels of immunoreactivity. Low concentration glutaraldehyde (less than 0.2%) fixation for short periods of time (less than 60 minutes) produces improved tissue immunoreactivity and allows low concentrations of antigen at secondary sites to be detected. However, the tissue is now only minimally stabilized and is prone to extraction and conformational damage during processing. It can be partially protected by employing one of two strategies: processing at room temperature with partial dehydration (upto 70% solvent) and rapid embedding in LR White or Lowicryl K4M at 0 degrees C, or processing at progressively lower temperatures (PLT) and embedding in Lowicryl at -35/-50 degrees C. In a third strategy, specimens sensitive to very low fixative concentrations are cryo-immobilized, then resin embedded after substitution or freeze-drying (this latter method awaiting evaluation for inclusion in our strategical approach).

Acrylic Resins

LR White embedding allows a multi-method approach to the analysis of brain tissue from patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Light (LM) and electron (EM) microscope comparisons of the cytochemistry and immunocytochemistry of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the main histopathological changes in the brains of Alzheimer's disease sufferers, have been almost impossible because of the disparity between the two technologies. By embedding unosmicated brain tissue in the acrylic resin LR White, direct comparisons can be made between techniques applied at the LM level with those at the EM level. After partial dehydration in 70% ethanol, the tissue is embedded by rapid infiltration and polymerization at 0 degrees C, which has been shown to maximally preserve tissue immunoreactivity. Semithin sections are then receptive to routine LM stains, silver stains e.g. Gomori's methenamine silver, and immunocytochemistry with immunoperoxidase or immunocolloidal gold. Serial thin sections are stable in the EM and can be immunolabelled and directly compared with their LM counterparts. Results from the use of a mouse monoclonal antibody against beta-amyloid and a rabbit polyclonal antibody against ubiquitin are presented. LR White resin includes no elements other than carbon, oxygen and nitrogen, of which it is composed, so that sections of it are valuable for sensitive X-ray energy dispersive microanalysis.

Acrylic Resins

An immunocytochemical method for localization of estrogen receptors in rat tissues using a dinitrophenyl (DNP)-labeled rat monoclonal primary antibody.

We have developed an immunocytochemical method to demonstrate estrogen receptor in hormone-sensitive tissues of the rat using a dinitrophenyl (DNP) hapten-labeled rat antihuman estrogen receptor monoclonal antibody (MAb), H222. Mouse IgM anti-DNP was used secondarily, followed by a DNP/peroxidase conjugate, diaminobenzidine/hydrogen peroxide chromogen, and silver intensification. This method was applied to tissues from intact female rats and showed that estrogen receptor was localized in the nuclei of the stromal and glandular components of the uterine endometrium. Reduced receptor staining was observed in the luminal epithelium, with minimal myometrial staining. Anterior pituitary glands showed heterogeneous immunostaining and ovaries expressed the receptor predominantly in the interstitial cells; fallopian tubes demonstrated substantial epithelial staining. Uteri from chemically castrated rats showed reduced estrogen receptor immunostaining in both stromal and luminal cells, whereas staining was enhanced in the glandular elements. Classical estrogen-unresponsive tissues (heart, lung, and spleen) were unstained. Antibody controls involved pre-blocking antibody recognition sites on the receptor with unlabeled antibodies to estrogen receptor (H222, H226, and D547), as well as use of an inappropriate DNP-labeled antibody to metallothionein. These controls illustrated the specific nature of the DNP-H222 binding.

Adnexa Uteri

The morphological and immunohistochemical analysis of renal biopsies by light and electron microscopy using a single processing method.

A methodology is described in which a number of well-established research techniques are brought together to enable the complete diagnostic analysis of a renal biopsy on a single piece of tissue. By embedding the biopsy in the acrylic resin LR White, unsupported sections of which are stable in the electron beam, light and electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry become feasible on sections from the same block. The biopsy is glutaraldehyde fixed but post-fixation in osmium tetroxide, which is often deleterious to antigen preservation, is omitted. Extraction in organic solvents and resin monomer is minimized by rapidly infiltrating the tissue from 70% ethanol and polymerizing the resin catalytically at 0 degrees C. Semithin sections can be stained with haematoxylin and eosin, Toluidine Blue or methenamine silver, giving results similar or superior to those obtained from paraffin sections. Thin sections show that the standard of morphological preservation is similar to that seen using epoxide sections even though the kidney is unosmicated. The tissue retains a high level of antigen reactivity, which, in the limited number of cases so far examined, has paralleled or exceeded that demonstrated by conventional immunofluorescence on frozen sections.

Biopsy

Multiple hormone storage by cells of the human pituitary.

While immunostaining serial semi-thin sections of acrylic resin-embedded normal human pituitary using antisera to human pituitary hormones, it became clear that several cells were stained by more than one antiserum. The tissue had been surgically excised from a patient with a prolactinoma. The tumor, which was immunoreactive only with antiprolactin antiserum, was distinctly different from the pieces of tissue under study which had normal pituitary architecture and demonstrated immunoreactivity with antisera against all six of the common pituitary hormones. A major immunoelectron microscopic investigation, using immunocolloidal gold and immunoperoxidase methods, revealed cells in which follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and prolactin (PRL) were co-localized to the same electron-dense granules. Some similar cells also possessed electron-lucent granules immunoreactive only for anti-PRL antiserum. Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and PRL were also found in the same cell but were very largely localized to separate, morphologically different populations of electron-dense and -lucent storage granules. By employing double immunolabeling, a few granules in the ACTH/PRL cells were shown to be immunoreactive to both anti-ACTH and anti-PRL antisera. The possibility that the multipotential stem cells is discussed.

Adult

Modern acrylics for post-embedding immunostaining techniques.

We describe two methods for rapid processing of biological tissues into LR White acrylic plastic. Both methods make use of LR White's compatibility with small amounts of water, enabling non-osmicated tissue to be only partially dehydrated before infiltration with the plastic, a procedure that improves the sensitivity of post-embedding immunocytochemistry. In addition, both methods are designed to reduce the time for which tissue is exposed to the damaging influence of the plastic monomer, which can cause extraction and sudden shrinkage. The tissue example used in the first method is immersion-fixed, surgically removed human pituitary which, by virtue of its thorough fixation, can be processed quickly at 50 degrees C using catalytic polymerization at room temperature. The concentration of the catalyst is critically set to prevent the temperature rising above 60 degrees C in the tissue blocks. Penetration of immunoperoxidase reagents into 330-nm LR White sections is demonstrated and possible modes of action are discussed. When "lightly" fixed tissue is processed as above, serious polymerization artifacts can result from autocatalysis. A second method, based on the first but employing slower polymerization at 0 degrees C, has therefore been developed. The high level of fine structure that can be retained using this method is illustrated by the demonstration of the trans-tubular Golgi in perfusion-fixed kidney of rat. Biotinylated lectin is localized to cells of the kidney proximal tubule with streptavidin-colloidal gold, to illustrate tissue reactivity. In a second example, the structure of the bacterial cell envelope is shown to be similar in appearance after partial dehydration and LR White embedding to that seen after progressive lowering of temperature, dehydration, and Lowicryl embedding.

Acrylic Resins

Immunogold electron-microscopic localisation of calpain I in skeletal muscle of rats.

By using a double-affinity-purified first antibody and colloidal gold-conjugated second antibody, it is shown that calpain I (a cysteine proteinase activated by micromolar concentrations of Ca2+) has a predominant intracellular location in the I-band region of the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of the rat, but is not exclusively associated with the Z-line.

Animals

Immunohistochemical localization of cell surface receptors using a novel method permitting simple, rapid and reliable LM/EM correlation.

A method is presented which allows correlative serial section analysis by light and electron microscopy of cell surface antigens in monolayer cultures. Sites of antigenicity are shown by deposition of diaminobenzidine after pre-embedding, immunoperoxidase immunocytochemistry. Osmication is replaced by the use of gold chloride which specifically enhances the electron density of diaminobenzidine. In addition gold chloride bound to diaminobenzidine survives embedding and provides the basis for a post-embedding photochemical amplification method. Immunostained cells are embedded in LR White by a rapid technique which preserves their structure and leaves them available for subsequent post-embedding immunocytochemistry. The method is illustrated by the demonstration of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors on the EGF receptor-rich human carcinoma cell line A431 using a well characterized monoclonal antibody raised against EGF receptor.

Antigens, Surface

Immunohistochemical identification of prolactin and 24K protein in secretory endometrium.

Inadequate endometrial differentiation is a cause of infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss. Diagnostic histologic dating criteria may be supplemented by the immunohistochemical identification of protein markers in late secretory endometrium. Late secretory endometrium has been shown to contain prolactin. The authors report the immunohistochemical localization of prolactin and 24K protein in late secretory endometrium using monoclonal antisera and the dinitrophenyl hapten sandwich-staining technique. The appearance of these proteins in decidualized stromal cells of late secretory endometrium may provide a more specific indicator of endometrial development and differentiation, if their late appearance or absence can be correlated with pregnancy wastage.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Preparation and characterization of liposomes containing the Ca2+-activated photoprotein, obelin.

1. Liposomes bearing different net surface charges have been prepared and their ability to entrap the Ca2+-activated photoprotein, obelin, has been studied 2. Negatively-charged liposomes, composed of egg-yolk lecithin, cholesterol and phosphatidylserine, consistently produced the most homogeneous populations of liposomes after sonication, as shown by electron microscopy after negative staining. These consisted of a large proportion of uni- and bilamellar vesicles within the size range of 20--50 nm, external diameter. 3. Sonicated negatively-charged liposomes had a mean aqueous obelin space of 6.8 +/- 0.8 microliter/mumol of phospholipid compared to a mean space for inulin [14C]carboxylic acid of 5.1 +/- 0.8 microliter/mumol of phospholipid. 4. Sonication reduced the Ca2+ permeability of the negatively-charged liposomes, as measured by the utilization of entrapped obelin. 5. Preparations of uncharged (no phosphatidylserine) and positively-charged (stearylamine instead of phosphatidylserine), sonicated liposomes contained a greater proportion of larger vesicles, which were more permeable to Ca2+ than sonicated, negatively-charged liposomes. 6. Obelin, trapped within sonicated, negatively-charged liposomes, responded to increases in the free Ca2+ concentration within the liposomes caused by the bivalent-cation ionophore A23187 at concentrations as low as 19 nM. 7. The effect of A23187 was inhibited by Mg2+ at a low concentration of Ca2+ (10 muM), but not at 1 mM Ca2+. 8. It was concluded that obelin could be trapped in the aqueous compartment of sonicated liposomes which remained relatively impermeable to Ca2+. Furthermore, trapped obelin could respond to changes in the free Ca2+ concentration within these liposomes.

Calcimycin

Multiple hormone storage by 'polycrine' cells in the pancreas (from a case of nesidioblastosis).

Pancreatic tissue from a case of neonatal hypoglycaemia with nesidioblastosis has been studied by routine light and electron microscope techniques and by highly sensitive light and electron microscope immunolocalization methods. A hyperplastic nodule within the pancreas from this case contained enlarged distorted haemorrhagic islets, with a variable rim of exocrine tissue. Islet cells in these areas were shown to contain more than one hormone in separate granules. An immunoperoxidase system using hapten-labelled primary antibodies and photochemical amplification applied to serial semithin sections suggested a consistent overlap between insulin and glucagon immunoreactive cells. Serial ultrathin sections of tissue embedded in LR White showed that some heteromorphous cells with predominantly beta-granules also contained a minority population of granules which had either glucagon or glicentin immunoreactivity. In adjacent studies, the same techniques confirmed that the majority population of granules did indeed contain insulin, and immunocolloidal gold methods were used to show that glucagon and glicentin containing granules were present in the same cells. The significance of these findings is discussed, including the possibility that cells containing more than one granule type might represent a subpopulation of facultative cells in transit from producing one hormone to producing a second. The importance of sensitive immuno-electron microscopy in the investigation of endocrine lesions is stressed.

Cytoplasmic Granules

[Psychological theories on delinquency].

The authors review the various psychological explanations of delinquency, based on a psycholgoical etiological approach, considered within three broad categories: 1) Unchanging intrapersonal factors; 2) Changeable intra-personal factors, and 3) Interpersonal factors. For each theory, three criteria of validity have been used, based on the theory explanatory power in relation to: 1) the differential rates of deliquency for various subgroups, and the peaking at age 16; 2) the various forms of delinquent behavior, and, 3) the individual motivations to delinquency. The implications for prevention, of the different theoretical approaches, are also briefly discussed. The interpersonal theories appear to offer the most fruitful research and action opportunities. The practical implications for primary prevention, particularly at the school level, are discussed.

Adolescent