The authors gratefully acknowledge their colleagues Jeffrey Tom and Aimin Song for peptide synthesis, Nianfeng Ge for TMA construction, Shari Lau for IHC staining, Melissa Edick for digital microscopic scanning, and Hai Ngu for digital image quantification.

1. Preparation of stock solution and tools
<ol>
	<li>Prepare 20 mL of a 25% w/v BSA solution by mixing 5 g BSA powder in 14 mL of PBS, pH 7.2 in a 50 mL conical tube until evenly dispersed. Vortex as necessary to disperse the BSA powder.
	<ol>
		<li>Keep the solution overnight at 4 &#176;C to allow complete dissolution. Adjust the final volume to 20 mL with PBS to make a 25% w/v stock solution.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Prepare 20 mL of a 31.3% w/v BSA solution by mixing 6.26 g BSA powder in 13 mL of PBS, pH 7.2 in a 50 ...

<ol>
	<li>Torlakovic, E. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Standardization+of+positive+controls+in+diagnostic+immunohistochemistry:+recommendations+from+the+International+Ad+Hoc+Expert+Committee.">Standardization of positive controls in diagnostic immunohistochemistry: recommendations from the International Ad Hoc Expert Committee.</a> Applied Immunohistochemistry and Molecular Morphology. 23 (1), 1-18 (2015).</li><li>H&#246;tzel, K. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthetic+antigen+gels+as+practical+controls+for+standardized+and+quantitative+immunohistochemistry.">Synthetic antigen gels as practical controls for standardized and quantitative immunohistochemistry.</a> Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. 67 (5), 309-334 (2019).</li><li>Hewitt, S. M., Baskin, D. G., Frevert, C. W., Stahl, W. L., Rosa-Molinar, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Controls+for+immunohistochemistry:+The+histochemical+society's+standards+of+practice+for+validation+of+immunohistochemical+assays.">Controls for immunohistochemistry: The histochemical society's standards of practice for validation of immunohistochemical assays.</a> Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. 62 (10), 693-697 (2014).</li><li>Torlakovic, E. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Standardization+of+negative+controls+in+diagnostic+immunohistochemistry:+recommendations+from+the+international+ad+hoc+expert+panel.">Standardization of negative controls in diagnostic immunohistochemistry: recommendations from the international ad hoc expert panel.</a> Applied Immunohistochemistry and Molecular Morphology. 22 (4), 241-252 (2014).</li><li>Martinez-Morilla, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quantitative+assessment+of+PD-L1+as+an+analyte+in+immunohistochemistry+diagnostic+assays+using+a+standardized+cell+line+tissue+microarray.">Quantitative assessment of PD-L1 as an analyte in immunohistochemistry diagnostic assays using a standardized cell line tissue microarray.</a> Laboratory Investigation. 100, 4-15 (2020).</li><li>Ben-David, U., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Genetic+and+transcriptional+evolution+alters+cancer+cell+line+drug+response.">Genetic and transcriptional evolution alters cancer cell line drug response.</a> Nature. 560 (7718), 325-330 (2018).</li><li>Sompuram, S. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthetic+peptides+identified+from+phage-displayed+combinatorial+libraries+as+immunodiagnostic+assay+surrogate+quality-control+targets.">Synthetic peptides identified from phage-displayed combinatorial libraries as immunodiagnostic assay surrogate quality-control targets.</a> Clinical Chemistry. 48 (3), 410-420 (2002).</li><li>Sompuram, S. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+novel+quality+control+slide+for+quantitative+immunohistochemistry+testing.">A novel quality control slide for quantitative immunohistochemistry testing.</a> Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. 50 (11), 1425-1433 (2002).</li><li>Sompuram, S. R., Vani, K., Tracey, B., Kamstock, D. A., Bogen, S. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Standardizing+immunohistochemistry:+A+new+reference+control+for+detecting+staining+problems.">Standardizing immunohistochemistry: A new reference control for detecting staining problems.</a> Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. 63 (9), 681-690 (2015).</li><li>Vani, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Levey-Jennings+analysis+uncovers+unsuspected+causes+of+immunohistochemistry+stain+variability.">Levey-Jennings analysis uncovers unsuspected causes of immunohistochemistry stain variability.</a> Applied Immunohistochemistry and Molecular Morphology. 24 (10), 688-694 (2016).</li><li>Brandtzaeg, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evaluation+of+immunofluorescence+with+artificial+sections+of+selected+antigenicity.">Evaluation of immunofluorescence with artificial sections of selected antigenicity.</a> Immunology. 22, 177-183 (1972).</li><li>Matute, C., Streit, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Monoclonal+antibodies+demonstrating+GABA-Iike+immunoreactivity.">Monoclonal antibodies demonstrating GABA-Iike immunoreactivity.</a> Histochemistry. 86, 147-157 (1986).</li><li>Ottersen, O. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Postembedding+light-+and+electron+microscopic+immunocytochemistry+of+amino+acids:+description+of+a+new+model+system+allowing+identical+conditions+for+specificity+testing+and+tissue+processing.">Postembedding light- and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry of amino acids: description of a new model system allowing identical conditions for specificity testing and tissue processing.</a> Experimental Brain Research. 69, 167-174 (1987).</li><li>Fowler, C. B., Cunningham, R. E., O'Leary, T. J., Mason, J. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term='Tissue+surrogates'+as+a+model+for+archival+formalin-fixed+paraffin-embedded+tissues.">'Tissue surrogates' as a model for archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues.</a> Laboratory Investigation. 87, 836-846 (2007).</li><li>Arabi, S. H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Serum+albumin+hydrogels+in+broad+pH+and+temperature+ranges:+characterization+of+their+self-assembled+structures+and+nanoscopic+and+macroscopic+properties.">Serum albumin hydrogels in broad pH and temperature ranges: characterization of their self-assembled structures and nanoscopic and macroscopic properties.</a> Biomaterials Science. 6 (3), 478-492 (2018).</li><li>Schrohl, A. -. S., Pedersen, H. C., Jensen, S. S., Nielsen, S. L., Br&#252;nner, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+epidermal+growth+factor+receptor+2+(HER2)+immunoreactivity:+specificity+of+three+pharmacodiagnostic+antibodies.">Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) immunoreactivity: specificity of three pharmacodiagnostic antibodies.</a> Histopathology. 59, 975-983 (2011).</li><li>Lear, S., Cobb, S. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pep-Calc.com:+a+set+of+web+utilities+for+the+calculation+of+peptide+and+peptoid+properties+and+automatic+mass+spectral+peak+assignment.">Pep-Calc.com: a set of web utilities for the calculation of peptide and peptoid properties and automatic mass spectral peak assignment.</a> Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design. 30, 271-277 (2016).</li><li>Camp, R. L., Chung, G. G., Rimm, D. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Automated+subcellular+localization+and+quantification+of+protein+expression+in+tissue+microarrays.">Automated subcellular localization and quantification of protein expression in tissue microarrays.</a> Nature Medicine. 8 (11), 1323-1327 (2002).</li><li>Angelo, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Multiplexed+ion+beam+imaging+of+human+breast+tumors.">Multiplexed ion beam imaging of human breast tumors.</a> Nature Medicine. 20 (4), 436-442 (2014).</li><li>Buus, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=High-resolution+mapping+of+linear+antibody+epitopes+using+ultrahigh-density+peptide+microarrays.">High-resolution mapping of linear antibody epitopes using ultrahigh-density peptide microarrays.</a> Molecular and Cellular Proteomics. 11 (12), 1790-1800 (2012).</li><li>Forsstr&#246;m, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Proteome-wide+epitope+mapping+of+antibodies+using+ultra-dense+peptide+arrays.">Proteome-wide epitope mapping of antibodies using ultra-dense peptide arrays.</a> Molecular and Cellular Proteomics. 13 (6), 1585-1597 (2014).</li><li>Forsstr&#246;m, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dissecting+antibodies+with+regards+to+linear+and+conformational+epitopes.">Dissecting antibodies with regards to linear and conformational epitopes.</a> PLoS One. 10 (3), 0121673 (2015).</li><li>Prasad, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Toward+a+consensus+on+applying+quantitative+liquid+chromatography-tandem+mass+spectrometry+proteomics+in+translational+pharmacology+research:+A+white+paper.">Toward a consensus on applying quantitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry proteomics in translational pharmacology research: A white paper.</a> Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 106 (3), 525-543 (2019).</li></ol>

This method allows the user to create uniform samples of known composition and antigen concentration as standards in IHC reactions, using materials and techniques familiar to most histology laboratories. The most crucial step is to identify the epitope to which the antibody of interest binds. This protocol describes using a linear peptide antigen from the ERBB2/HER2 ICD. The same protocol can be used to form BSA gels containing oligonucleotides, fluorescent labels, protein domains, or full-length proteins. This latter ap...

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) allows the sensitive and specific, spatially precise detection of target antigens in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections. However, IHC staining results may be affected by multiple variables, including warm and cold ischemia time, tissue fixation, tissue pretreatment, antibody reactivity and concentration, assay detection chemistry, and reaction times1. Accordingly, reproducible performance and interpretation of IHC reactions require rigorous control of these variables and the use of well-characterized positive and negative control samples. Frequently used controls include paraffin-embedded tissues or cultured cell lines known from independent analyses to express the antigen of interest, but such samples are not always available1. Furthermore, the expression levels of the target antigens in tissues and cell line controls are generally understood only qualitatively and may be variable. Controls containing reproducible, precisely known concentrations of target antigen can assist in the optimization of IHC reaction conditions. A general method, adaptable to a variety of antigen types in a physiologically relevant range of concentrations to create synthetic IHC control samples, has been described by the authors2. A detailed protocol is provided here for the creation and use of this type of standard.
Appropriate controls are essential for the valid interpretation of IHC assays1,3,4. Tissues, cultured cells, and peptide-coated substrates have been employed as IHC controls according to the investigators&#39; specific needs. The advantages and limitations inherent in using tissues as IHC controls have been extensively discussed1,4. For many antibodies, appropriate controls can be chosen from selected normal tissues containing cell populations expressing the target antigen over a wide dynamic range. Tissue controls are less suitable when the target antigen is not well-characterized concerning expression site or abundance, or when potentially cross-reacting antigens are co-expressed in the same cells or tissue sites. In these contexts, blocks of cultured cell lines expressing the antigen of interest can be helpful. For providing further evidence of target specificity, cell lines can be engineered to over-or under-express target antigens. For example, such an approach was recently used to evaluate a variety of anti-PD-L1 assays using a tissue microarray of isogenic cell lines expressing a range of PD-L1 antigen5. Practical limitations to the routine use of cell line blocks include the cost and time needed to produce sufficient cell numbers and the fact that the expression of some antigens may not be reliably consistent, even within clonal cell lines6. Synthetic peptides are a third option for IHC controls for antibodies that recognize short linear epitopes. Steven Bogen and colleagues have published extensively on the use of peptides coupled to the surface of glass slides7,8 and glass beads9. One study by this group demonstrated that quantitative analysis of peptide-based IHC controls could detect staining process variation missed by qualitative evaluation of tissue controls analyzed in parallel10. While standards using bead-based antigens could be widely applicable, many details are proprietary to the authors, limiting widespread adoption.
Another approach to IHC standards incorporates target antigens into artificially created protein gels. This concept was first demonstrated by Per Brandtzaeg in 1972 in a study in which normal rabbit serum was polymerized using glutaraldehyde11. Small blocks of the resulting gel were then soaked for 1-4 weeks in solutions containing the immunoglobulin antigens of interest at various concentrations. After alcohol fixation and paraffin embedding, sections of the resulting controls were shown to stain with intensities corresponding to the logarithm of the antigen solutions in which they had been soaked. Later, investigators prepared glutaraldehyde conjugates of specific amino acids in dilute BSA or brain homogenate solutions as positive controls in immune-electron microscopy studies12,13. More recent work investigated the use of gels made from formaldehyde-fixed protein solutions as surrogates for FFPE tissue in mass spectrometry analysis14. Another recent work investigated the structure and properties of gels formed by heating human or bovine serum albumin solutions at various concentrations and pH15. These authors found that serum albumin forms three types of gels differing in mechanical elasticity, secondary structure preservation, and fatty acid-binding capability depending on the experimental conditions. Together, these papers demonstrate the general feasibility of the approach employed here. Protein solutions of defined composition create tissue-like gels that can be further processed, sectioned, and stained using routine histological methods.
This protocol describes the formation of a synthetic IHC control made from bovine serum albumin (BSA) polymerized with heat and formaldehyde. The gels can incorporate a wide variety of antigens, including full-length proteins, protein domains, and linear peptides, as well as non-protein antigens&#160;including oligonucleotides2. This demonstration uses an example antigen&#160;a linear peptide encoding the C-terminal 16 amino acids of the human ERBB2 (HER2/neu) protein TPTAENPEYLGLDVPV-COOH (see Table of Materials). This sequence includes the epitopes recognized by three commercially available, diagnostically relevant antibodies&#160;including the Herceptest polyclonal reagent (ENPEYLGLDVP) and the monoclonal antibodies CB11 (AENPEYL) and 4B5 (TAENPEYLGL) (see Table of Materials)16.
The method demonstrated here employs readily available reagents using processes and techniques familiar to any practicing histology laboratory. The most significant limitation is the need to identify and purchase the target antigens, which can be accomplished in many cases at a relatively modest cost. Because these synthetic controls are of wholly defined composition and made with simple methods, they can be implemented in many laboratories with reproducible results. Their use may facilitate the objective, quantifiable evaluation of IHC staining results and allow greater intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Anti-HER2/neu clone 4B5</td>
			<td>Ventana</td>
			<td>5278368001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Biopsy Wraps</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td>3801090</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bovine Serum Albumin, ultra pure</td>
			<td>Cell Signaling Technology</td>
			<td>BSA #9998</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 mL Conical Tube</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>352070</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Disposable base mold (15 mm x 15 mm)</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>22-363-553</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Disposable base mold 
			(24 mm x 24 mm)</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>22-363-554</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Disposable spatula</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>80081-188</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Eppendorf Thermomixer</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>22331</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>37% Formaldehyde</td>
			<td>Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td>15686</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ERBB2 / HER2 peptide</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>UniProt P04626-1; a.a. 1240-55</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Leica Autostainer XL</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td>ST5010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Magnetic Stir Bar</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NanoZoomer 2.0 HT whole slide imager</td>
			<td>Hamamatsu</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10% Neutral Buffered Formalin</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>16004-128</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nuclease-free microfuge tubes 1.5 mL</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paraplast paraffin</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td>39601006</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Peptide parameter calculator</td>
			<td>Pep-Calc17</td>
			<td>https://www.pep-calc.com/</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Peptide suppliers</td>
			<td>ABclonal Science</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Users should contact peptide vendors for details of mass, purity and cost.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td>Anaspec Peptide</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Users should contact peptide vendors for details of mass, purity and cost.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td>CPC Scientific</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Users should contact peptide vendors for details of mass, purity and cost.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td>New England Peptide</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Users should contact peptide vendors for details of mass, purity and cost.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phosphate Buffered Saline pH 7.2</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Reagent Alcohol</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>9111</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Single Edge Razor</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>55411-050</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Superfrost Plus positively charged microscope slides</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>6776214</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TMA Tissue Grand Master</td>
			<td>3DHISTECH</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Xylenes</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89370-088</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

synthetic antigen controls for immunohistochemistry

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays provide valuable insights into protein expression patterns, the reliable interpretation of which requires well-characterized positive and negative control samples. Because appropriate tissue or cell line controls are not always available, a simple method to create synthetic IHC controls may be beneficial. Such a method is described here. It is adaptable to various antigen types, including proteins, peptides, or oligonucleotides, in a wide range of concentrations. This protocol explains the steps necessary to create synthetic antigen controls, using as an example a peptide from the human erythroblastic oncogene B2 (ERBB2/HER2) intracellular domain (ICD) recognized by a variety of diagnostically relevant antibodies. Serial dilutions of the HER2 ICD peptide in bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution are mixed with formaldehyde and heated for 10 min at 85 &#176;C to solidify and cross-link the peptide/BSA mixture. The resulting gel can be processed, sectioned, and stained like a tissue, yielding a series of samples of known antigen concentrations spanning a wide range of staining intensities.
This simple protocol is consistent with routine histology lab procedures. The method requires only that the user have a sufficient quantity of the desired antigen. Recombinant proteins, protein domains, or linear peptides that encode relevant epitopes may be synthesized locally or commercially. Laboratories generating in-house antibodies can reserve aliquots of the immunizing antigen as the synthetic control target. The opportunity to create well-defined positive controls across a wide range of concentrations allows users to assess intra- and inter-laboratory assay performance, gain insight into the dynamic range and linearity of their assays, and optimize assay conditions for their particular experimental goals.

Peptides should dissolve entirely in an appropriate solvent at room temperature to form an optically clear solution. If visible particulate material is still present after 30-60 min, it may be helpful to add additional volumes of the original solvent or an alternative solvent not exceeding the intended volume of the 5x peptide stock solution calculated in Table 1. Likewise, the combined peptide/BSA solution should remain translucent (Figure 1A).
P...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Synthetic Antigen Controls for Immunohistochemistry at JoVE.com

Synthetic Antigen Controls for Immunohistochemistry

This work documents a simple method to create synthetic antigen controls for immunohistochemistry. The technique is adaptable to a variety of antigens in a wide range of concentrations. The samples provide a reference with which to assess intra- and inter-assay performance and reproducibility.

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays provide valuable insights into protein expression patterns, the reliable interpretation of which requires ...

BSA antigen gels are well-characterized reproducible IHC standards that can supplement existing controls. This protocol uses standard histology and IHC reagents and methods to make reproducible standards of known composition. These controls provide the opportunity for different labs to calibrate and standardize IHC assays for many diagnostically relevant assays.It is important to find a suitable solvent to dissolve the peptide or protein. It can be tricky to mix antigen and formaldehyde solutions quickly without introducing bubbles. To begin, prepare 20 milliliters of a 25%weight by volume BSA solution by mixing five grams of BSA powder in 14 milliliters of PBS, in a 50 milliliter conical tube until evenly distributed.Vortex the solution to dissolve the BSA powder. Keep the solution overnight at four degrees Celsius for complete dissolution. The following day, adjust the final volume to 20 milliliters with PBS.Similarly, prepare 20 milliliters of a 31.3%weight by volume BSA solution by mixing 6.26 grams of BSA powder in 13 milliliters of PBS. After overnight incubation for complete dissolution, adjust the final volume to 20 milliliters with PBS. To test that the BSA formaldehyde mixture forms a gel, preheat a heat block to 85 degrees Celsius.Then mix 700 microliters of the 25%BSA solution with 700 microliters of 37%formaldehyde. Mix well by pipetting up and down five times within five to 10 seconds without creating air bubbles. Immediately after mixing, place the closed micro centrifuge tube in the heat block preheated to 85 degrees Celsius.After 10 minutes, remove the tube from the heat block. Allow it to cool and confirm that the gel has formed as expected. Prepare and clearly label eight 1.5 milliliter micro centrifuge tubes.Then prepare a 5x peptide stock solution, add a 12.5 millimolar concentration by resuspending the entire mass of the liberalized peptide in 60 microliters of the appropriate solvent. Observe the solution to ensure that the peptide is completely dissolved. Then add an additional volume of solvent as necessary to make a 12.5 millimolar solution according to the peptides molecular weight, mass, and purity.In this example, the 5x peptide stock has a final volume of 626.9 microliters. Other peptide samples will require a different final volume. Next, prepare 150 microliters of a 1x peptide stock solution add a 2.5 millimolar concentration by diluting 30 microliters of the 5x peptide stock into 120 microliters of the solvent.Vortex the solution for five seconds and centrifuge at room temperature. Next, prepare 700 microliters of a 0.5 millimolar peptide BSA solution by diluting 140 microliters of the 1x peptide stock into 560 microliters of the 31.3%BSA solution. After vortexing, centrifuge the solution at room temperature.Similarly, prepare four successive 10x serial dilution of the peptide BSA stock by adding 70 microliters of the peptide BSA solution to 630 microliters of the 25%BSA solution. To prepare the BSA peptide gels, add 37%formaldehyde to the peptide BSA dilutions in a one to one ratio working one sample at a time. Mix well by pipetting up and down five times within five to 10 seconds without creating air bubbles.After mixing, place the closed micro centrifuge tube in a heat block at 85 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. After all the peptide BSA and formaldehyde solutions have been prepared and heated, allow the gels to cool on the benchtop for five to 10 minutes. Next, using a clean, flexible disposable laboratory spatula, remove the gel sample from the micro centrifuge tube in one piece.And place it in a sealed container containing at least 15 milliliters of neutral buffered formalin, using a separate container for each sample. Alternatively, using a new single edge razor blade, cut off the bottom of the micro centrifuge tube and push the gel out from the bottom with air or a suitable probe. Using a clean single edged razor trim the gel cone into cylindrical discs approximately five millimeters thick.After wrapping the discs in a biopsy wrap, place one larger gel disc into one cassette and the remaining gel discs together into a second cassette for use in tissue microarray construction. Before processing, place the cassette gels in at least 15 milliliters of 10%neutral buffered formalin per gel, using a separate container for each sample. Next, process the gels in an automated histology tissue processor following a large tissue schedule with pressure and vacuum.When the sample processing is complete, remove the cassettes from the tissue processor and move them to the paraffin embedding center. After unwrapping the gels from the biopsy wrap, embed the gels in paraffin or each sample embed one disc of gel in a small 15 by 15 millimeter mold. And the remaining gel discs together in a second larger mold.For each peptide dilution series, create two glass slides containing a total of six separate sections. One section from each of the five dilution series samples and one section from the BSA only negative control sample. After sectioning and drying the slides, stain the two slides prepared for each peptide with the desired primary antibody.According to standard Immunohistochemistry protocols expect to see a relatively uniform signal within each gel section. With the different gel samples showing a range of signal intensity corresponding to the peptide dilutions. For the BSA gel tissue microarray construction, cut four micrometer thick sections of the tissue microarray and stain with a rabbit monoclonal antibody according to laboratory standard protocols.Assess the resulting stain intensity qualitatively by inspection or quantitatively buy digital image scanning and analysis. After reacting with the appropriate antibodies, negative control BSA only gel samples showed minimal signal. The signal intensity in an individual gel sample is relatively uniform and increases with increasing antigen concentrations.More than 10%of MDA-MB-175 cells show faint and in completely circumferential membranous staining. In contrast, more than 10%of the SKBR-3 cells, show intense completely circumferential membranous staining Work quickly once the formaldehyde has been added because the solutions will begin to gel even at room temperature. We use this method to make IHC controls when testing new antibodies to give us confidence that the assay performed as expected, even when the test antibodies show no signal.Tissue or cell line controls are inherently variable. Synthetic antigen controls allow us to measure the effect of changing specific ISD reaction conditions more precisely.

synthetic-antigen-controls-for-immunohistochemistry

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

2.3K 조회수.  Genentech, Inc.. BSA 항원 겔은 기존 대조군을 보완할 수 있는 잘 특성화된 재현 가능한 IHC 표준물질입니다. 이 프로토콜은 표준 조직학 및 IHC 시약 및 방법을 사용하여 알려진 조성의 재현 가능한 표준을 만듭니다. 이러한 제어는 여러 실험실에서 진단적으로 관련된 많은 분석에 대해 IHC 분석을 교정하고 표준화할 수 있는 기회를 제공합니다.펩티드 또는 단백질을 용해시키기에 적합한 ?...