Bernardini, Nunzia

Chiarugi, Massimo

Colucci, Rocchina

De Giorgio, Roberto

Dolfi, Amelio

Fornai, Matteo

Ippolito, Chiara

Segnani, Cristina

Firenze University Press: E-Journals

IJAE Vol. 115, n. 1/2 (Supplement), 2010
158
Variability in staining specificity of commercial anti-
cyclooxygenase antibodies on the neuromuscular 
compartment of normal human colon
Cristina Segnani1, Chiara Ippolito1, Rocchina Colucci2, Matteo Fornai2, Massimo Chiarugi3, Roberto 
De Giorgio4, Amelio Dolfi1, Nunzia Bernardini1
1 Section of Histology and Medical Embriology, Department of Human Morphology and Applied Biology
 2 Division of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine
3 Department of Surgery, Pisa University, Italy
4 Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Bologna University, Italy 
background Cyclooxygenase isoforms (COX-1, COX-2) are involved in the modula-
tion of gastrointestinal neuromuscular functions, but heterogeneous data are available 
on their cellular localization. Since this issue is of particular importance to understand 
the molecular basis of gut motility, the immunohistochemical (IHC) detection of COXs 
in colonic neuromuscular structures is a field of active investigation. Different staining 
patterns of COX tissue distribution have been reported, likely reflecting differences in 
gut regions, primary antibodies or detection methods.
Aim To assess the IHC staining patterns of COX-1 and COX-2 in the neuromuscular 
compartment of human colon by different antibodies.
Patients and Methods Full-thickness samples of macroscopically normal colon were 
collected from 8 patients undergone elective left hemicolectomy for colorectal neoplasia. 
Ten μm-thick sections from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks were processed 
for IHC detection of COX-1 and COX-2 by 3 and 4 antibodies of different commercial 
sources, respectively. 
Results and Conclusions The colonic neuromuscular structures showed consider-
able differences with regard for staining patterns and location of positive stains, de-
pending on the antibody used. The immunolabelling patterns ranged from cytoplasmic 
to nuclear staining in ganglionic cells and muscle cells, respectively. Of note, COX-1 was 
mainly localized in the cytoplasm of myenteric neurons, regardless of the antibodies 
used. By contrast, different myenteric cell types (i.e., neurons or glial cells) were COX-2 
immunolabelled, depending on the antibody. Thus, the use of different antibodies for 
IHC detection of COXs in human colon may yield remarkable differences in the label-
ling of cellular targets, leading to hardly comparable or conflicting results. These data 
suggest the importance of considering carefully the antibodies employed when compar-
ing results from different IHC studies.
Key words
COX-1 and COX-2 immunohistochemistry, human colon, neuromuscular compartment


Variability in staining specificity of commercial anticyclooxygenase antibodies on the neuromuscular compartment of normal human colon

http://www.fupress.net/index.php/ijae/article/download/8922/8305

Variability in staining specificity of commercial anticyclooxygenase antibodies on the neuromuscular compartment of normal human colon

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Firenze University Press: E-Journals