Immunocytochemical localization of RasHa p21 in normal and neoplastic cells in fixed tissue sections from Harvey sarcoma virus-infected mice

Fluorescent histochemical techniques for analysis of intracellular signaling

Intracellular signaling relies on the orchestrated cooperation of signaling proteins and modules, their intracellular localization, and membrane trafficking. Recently, a repertoire of fluorescence-based techniques, which significantly increases our potential for detailed studies of the involved mechanisms, has been introduced. Microscopic techniques with increased resolution have been combined with improved techniques for detection of signaling proteins. Transfections of fluorescently tagged proteins have allowed in vivo microscopy of their trafficking and interactions with other proteins and intracellular structures. We present an overview of general signaling principles and a description of techniques based on fluorescent microscopy suited for studies of signaling mechanisms.

Tumor-promoting effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and phenobarbital in initiated weanling Sprague-Dawley rats: a quantitative, phenotypic, and ras p21 protein study

In an initiation-promotion protocol, female weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were initiated with 10 mg/kg nitrosodiethylamine and promotion was started after 30 days. Promotion regimens were as follows: 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD; 150 ppt in diet) continuously until day 450; phenobarbital (PB; 500 ppm in diet) until day 170; PB until day 170, followed by TCDD until day 240; and PB until day 170, followed by a basal diet (BD) until day 240 and subsequently TCDD from days 240 to 450. TCDD fed to initiated rats had a promoting effect on the development of adenosine triphosphatase-negative altered hepatocellular foci (AHF). At 450 days, the volume fraction of liver occupied by AHF was increased in initiated rats given TCDD continuously and in those given PB followed by TCDD, whereas the mean volume of AHF was significantly larger in initiated rats given TCDD continuously. PB and TCDD promoted similar phenotypes of AHF as seen in hemotoxylin and eosin-stained sections, but the eosinophilic phenotype most closely correlated with the development of hepatocellular neoplasms. The protooncogene product ras p21 protein was present in the majority of PB- and TCDD-promoted AHF, hepatocellular adenomas, and hepatocellular carcinomas. Eosinophilic AHF and ras p21 protein expression most closely correlated with neoplastic development, suggesting that these cell populations, when promoted, may be at greater risks for developing into neoplasms.

Immunohistochemical detection of ras and myc oncogene expression in regenerating rat liver

The expression of ras and myc oncogene proteins was examined in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of male Sprague-Dawley rat liver at various times after liver regeneration was induced by either a necrogenic dose of CCl4 or a 2/3 partial hepatectomy. Antibody specific for these proteins and immunohistochemical (IHC) procedures were used to detect oncogene expression in the liver. Increased expression of both oncogene proteins was detected at times comparable to those reported by others using either Northern or Western blot methods. However, the IHC procedure provided additional information since oncogene expression was detected only in hepatocytes, mainly occupying liver lobule zones known to contain proliferating hepatocytes during regeneration. Also, ras and myc stain intensity of individual hepatocytes did not increase during regeneration. Rather, a greater number of hepatocytes were positive at several time points in the regeneration process. This suggested that the increased ras and myc expression detected in Northern and Western blot methods probably represents a greater number of hepatocytes expressing the oncogene proteins rather than increased expression by individual hepatocytes. Overall, this study provides additional information on the cells involved in the expression of the ras and myc oncogenes during regeneration and further substantiates their role in a normal physiological process.

Optimal preservation of p21 ras immunoreactivity and morphology in paraffin-embedded tissue

Specific immunostaining of p21 ras protein by the well-characterized pan-ras antibody Y13-259 is achieved in paraffin sections of human and animal tissues fixed in periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde-dichromate (PLPD). Intensity of staining is as good as in cryostat sections, with superior histological detail. Localization to plasma membrane is demonstrated in rodent cells genetically manipulated to express abundant p21 ras (the FHO5T1 cell line), both in preparations suspended in agar after culture in vitro and in those growing as tumour in vivo. Strong positive staining is observed in neoplasms of human breast and colon, tissues in which there is independent evidence of elevated ras gene expression. The superior morphology afforded by this technique allows clear characterization of p21 ras expression in small premalignant lesions for which other methods of detection of oncogene expression are not appropriate.

H-ras p21 and peanut lectin immunoreactivity of hyperplastic, preneoplastic and neoplastic urinary bladder lesions in rats

Hyperplastic, preneoplastic and neoplastic urinary bladder lesions induced by bladder carcinogens and toxins in the rat were evaluated for immunoreactivity with polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies to H-ras p21 or binding to peanut lectin with avidin-biotin immunocytochemistry. A low proportion (less than 20%) of hyperplastic and neoplastic bladder lesions induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine and fixed in Bouin's fixative only were immunoreactive on the cell membrane with the antibodies to H-ras p21. Lectin binding was found for these lesions, as well, even in formalin-fixed tissue and for lesions induced by other carcinogens, but not in regenerative bladder hyperplasias after cyclophosphamide exposure or in bladder exposed to bladder tumor promoters. The latter lesions were also not immunoreactive with antibodies to p21. Our results suggest that this relatively simple technique might be used for identification and screening of tumors for involvement of ras oncogenes and carcinogen initiation.