Synthetic Antigen Controls for Immunohistochemistry

Summary

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.

Abstract

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 °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.

Introduction

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....

Protocol

1. Preparation of stock solution and tools

1. 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.
   1. Keep the solution overnight at 4 °C to allow complete dissolution. Adjust the final volume to 20 mL with PBS to make a 25% w/v stock solution.
2. 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 .......

Discussion

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.......

Materials

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