Jan A. Redick

A modification of the unlabeled antibody enzyme method using heterologous antisera for the light microscopic and ultrastructural localization of insulin, glucagon and growth hormone.

The requirement of using homologous antisera (primary antiserum and peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) complex raised in the same species) in the unlabeled antibody enzyme method has been investigated at the light and electron microscopic level using the localization of insulin, glucagon and growth hormone as model systems. Optimum immunocytochemical staining for all three antigens was observed when sheep or goat antirabbit gamma-globulin (S-ARgammaG or G-ARgammaG) were used to couple rabbit peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex with either guinea pig antisera to insulin (GP-AIS) or glucagon (GP-AGS), or monkey antisera to rat growth hormone (M-ARGH). The cross-reactivity between S-ARgammaG or G-ARgammaG and immunoglobulins in these primary antisera were substantiated by immunoelectrophoresis and radioimmunoassay. S-ARgammaG was shown to produce precipitation arcs with GP-AIS and M-ARGH that were similar to those seen when the latter were reacted with rabbit antiguinea pig gamma-globulin antiserum and goat antimonkey gamma-globulin antiserum, respectively. Radioimmunoassay results revealed that immunoprecipitation of 6-10% as compared to homologous antisera controls yielded excellent staining localization when S-ARgammaG was used for immunocytochemistry. Thus, heterologous antisera (primary antiserum and PAP complex raised in different species) may be used in the unlabeled antibody enzyme method as long as the coupling antiserum shows cross-reactivity with immunoglobulins of the primary antiserum and the PAP complex.

Immunohistochemical localizations of cytochromes P-450 in rat liver.

Abstract Antibodies produced against two forms of cytochrome P-450, PB-B and MC-B, which were purified to apparent homogeneity from hepatic microsomes of rats pretreated with phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene, respectively, have been employed to localize these hemoproteins immunohistochemically at the light microscopic level in the livers of untreated rats. Using these antibodies in an unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique, immunohistochemical staining for the cytochromes P-450 was detected in parenchymal cells throughout the liver lobule. The patterns of immunohistochemical staining intensity observed with the two antibodies, however, were quite different. Exposure of liver sections to the antibody to cytochrome P-450 PB-B resulted in intense immunostaining within the centrilobular regions but produced staining of considerably weaker intensity in the peripheral regions of the lobule. In contrast to these observations, the antibody to cytochrome P-450 MC-B yielded a more uniform pattern of immunohistochemical staining, with the intensity of staining being only slightly greater in the centrilobular regions. The results of this immunohistochemical study thus demonstrate that different patterns of distribution exist for different forms of cytochrome P-450 within the liver lobule and that the greatest concentration of cytochrome P-450 occurs within the centrilobular regions of the liver.

Immunohistochemical localization of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase in rat liver.

Abstract NADPH-cytochrome c reductase (NADPH-cytochrome reductase, EC 1.6.2.4), the flavoprotein which is responsible for the NADPH-dependent reduction of cytochromes P-450 in hepatic microsomes, has been localized immunohistochemically at the light microscopic level in rat liver. Localization was achieved through the use of sheep antiserum to rat hepatic microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase in an unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. Parenchymal cells throughout the liver lobule were found to be stained positively for NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, although the intensity of immunostaining was slightly greater in the centrilobular regions. Immunostaining for NADPH-cytochrome c reductase was not detected in Kupffer cells, connective tissue cells, or in cells of the hepatic vasculature.

Quantitative immunohistochemistry: a comparison of microdensitometric analysis of unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase staining and of microfluorometric analysis of indirect fluorescent antibody staining for nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase in rat liver

The intralobular distribution of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase (NADPH:ferricytochrome oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.2.4) in rat liver has been investigated by means of two quantitative immunohistochemical techniques: microdensitometric quantitation of unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase staining and microfluorometric analysis of indirect fluorescent antibody staining. Utilizing sheep antiserum elicited against NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase that had been isolated and purified to apparent homogeneity from rat liver microsomes, the reductase was detected within hepatocytes throughout the liver. However, differences in the intensity of staining of hepatocytes within different regions of the liver lobule were readily apparent after completion of both immunohistochemical staining procedures. These visual findings were verified by microdensitometric and microfluorometric analyses of immunohistochemical staining, both of which revealed that approximately the same degree of staining for NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase was produced within the centrilobular and midzonal regions of the liver lobule, whereas periportal hepatocytes were stained with significantly less intensity. These results demonstrate that the application of either microdensitometry in conjunction with unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase staining or microfluorometry after indirect fluorescent antibody staining can be used to quantitatively determine the intratissue distributions of antigens.

SIF cells, cyclic AMP responses, and catecholamines of the guinea pig superior cervical ganglion

The superior cervical ganglion (SCG) of the guinea pig has been investigated by a multidisciplinary approach. Dopamine (50 micron) produced no increase in cyclic AMP levels above control values of 27.9 pmole/mg protein, but 50 micron isoproterenol produced cyclic AMP levels of 210 pmole/mg protein, indicating the existence of a beta-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase complex. The SIF cells were studied by fluorescence histochemistry, which indicated that two morphological types were present. A few Type I cells of the guinea pig SCG were solitary, but most were present in clusters containing many Type II cells. Immunohistochemical localization of antibodies to dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT) demonstrated that types of SIF cell localize antibodies to DBH but not PNMT, providing strong evidence that norepinephrine is the neurotransmitter for all the SIF cells of the guinea pig SCG. Determination of the ratio of norepinephrine to dopamine confirmed that no other dopamine pools exist in the guinea pig SCG.

Immunocytochemical localization of dopamine-β-hydroxylase in adrenal chromaffin granules

Abstract Electron microscopic localization of dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH) was carried out in bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin granule fractions and in intact bovine adrenal medulla by means of a peroxidase-antiperoxidase unlabelled antibody technique according to Sternberger , Hardy , Cuculis and Meyer (1970). Adrenal medullary chromaffin granule fractions showed retention of DBH despite successive fractionation, fixation and prolonged washing procedures, indicating that a portion of the DBH in the chromaffin granule is quite tightly bound. Under these circumstances the electron-opaque granular matrix was absent, implying loss of the more soluble constituents of the chromaffin granules, including matrix-associated DBH. Intact bovine adrenal medulla which was fixed, sectioned and subjected to immunocytochemical localization of DBH showed the enzyme to be present throughout the matrix of the chromaffin granule and demonstrated that, under these less vigorous conditions, the electron-opaque granule matrix was not removed. It would therefore appear to be feasible to differentiate directly between the “soluble” and “bound” forms of DBH by immunocytochemical procedures and to apply this technique to elucidate the process of exocytosis in adrenal medulla and adrenergic nerve terminals.

Immunohistochemical localization of epoxide hydratase in rat liver

Abstract An antibody produced against epoxide hydratase (EC 4.2.1.63) which had been purified to apparent homogeneity from hepatic microsomes of phenobarbital pretreated rats was employed in an unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique to localize the enzyme at the light microscopic level in the livers of untreated rats. Immunohistochemical staining for epoxide hydratase was detected in parenchymal cells throughout the liver lobule. Cells within the centrilobular regions, however, were observed to be stained more intensely than were those within the midzonal and periportal regions of the lobule. The results of this immunohistochemical study thus demonstrate that epoxide hydratase does not exhibit a uniform pattern of distribution within the liver lobule in untreated rats.

Immunohistochemical localization of adrenal ferredoxin and distribution of adrenal ferredoxin and cytochrome P-450 in the rat adrenal

Abstract Adrenal ferredoxin, the iron-sulfur protein associated with cytochromes P -450 in adrenocortical mitochondria, has been localized immunohistochemically at the light microscopic level in rat adrenals by employing rabbit antiserum to bovine adrenal ferredoxin in both an unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase method and an indirect fluorescent antibody method. When sections of rat adrenals were exposed to the adrenal ferredoxin antiserum in both procedures, positive staining for adrenal ferredoxin was observed in parenchymal cells of the three cortical zones but not in medullary chromaffin cells. Marked differences in the intensity of staining, however, where observed among the three cortical zones: the most intense staining being found in the zona fasciculata, less in the zona reticularis, and least in the zona glomerulosa. Furthermore, differences in staining intensity were also observed among cells within both the zona fasciculata and the zona reticularis. In agreement with these immunohistochemical observations, determinations of adrenal ferredoxin contents by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometry in homogenates prepared from capsular and decapsulated rat adrenals revealed that the concentration of adrenal ferredoxin in the zona glomerulosa was lower than that in the zona fasciculata-reticularis. Similar results were obtained when the contents of cytochrome P -450 were determined in capsular adn decapsulated rat adrenal homogenates. These observations indicate that adrenal ferrodoxin and cytochrome P -450 are not distributed uniformly throughout the rat adrenal cortex.

Immunohistochemical studies on electron transport proteins associated with cythochromes P-450 in steroidogenic tissues II. Microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase in the rat adrenal

NADPH-cytochrome c reductase (NADPH : ferricytochrome oxido-reductase, EC 1.6.2.4), the flavoprotein which mediates the NADPH-dependent reduction of cytochromes P-450 in adrenocortical microsomes, has been localized immunohistochemically at the light microscopic level in rat adrenal glands. Localization was achieved through the use of sheep antiserum produced against purified, trypsin-solubilized rat hepatic microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase in both an unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique and an indirect fluorescent antibody method. The sheep antibody to rat hepatic microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase concomitantly inhibited the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and progesterone 21-hydroxylase activities catalyzed by isolated rat adrenal microsomes. When sections of rat adrenal glands were exposed to the reductase antiserum in both immunohistochemical procedures, positive staining for NADPH-cytochrome c reductase was observed in parenchymal cells of the three cortical zones but not in medullary chromaffin cells. The intensity of staining, however, was found to differ among the three cortical zones, with the most intense staining being found in the zona fasciculata and the least in the zona glomerulosa. The intensity of staining was also found to differ among cells within the zona fasciculata. These immunohistochemical observations demonstrate that microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase is not distributed uniformly throughout the rat adrenal cortex.

Immunohistochemical localization of adrenal ferredoxin in bovine adrenal cortex

Abstract Adrenal ferredoxin, the iron-sulfur protein associated with cytochrome P-450 in adrenocortical mitochondria, has been localized at the light microscopic level in bovine adrenal cortex. Localization was achieved through the use of rabbit antiserum to bovine adrenal ferrodoxin in an unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. When sections of bovine adrenal glands were exposed to the adrenal ferredoxin antiserum, intense staining was observed in parenchymal cells of the three cortical zones. Staining for adrenal ferredoxin was not detected in the medullary chromaffin cells. The presence of adrenal ferredoxin in the three cortical zones was verified by electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry. These determinations also revealed that while the zona fasciculata and the zona reticularis contained approximately equal concentrations of adrenal ferredoxin, the concentration of the iron-sulfur protein in the zona glomerulosa was considerably lower. Similar results were obtained when the levels of cytochrome P-450 were determined in the three cortical zones. These results represent the first immunohistochemical localization within an intact tissue or cell of any component of an NADPH-dependent electron transport sequence which is responsible for the reduction of cytochrome P-450.