Immunohistochemical Detection of P-glycoprotein in Formalin-fixed and Paraffin-embedded Normal and Neoplastic Canine Tissues

Abstract

Expression of P-glycoprotein, a phylogenetically conserved integral plasma membrane protein, is implicated as one of the most important factors contributing to tumor cell multidrug resistance. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded normal and neoplastic canine tissues were studied using an avidin-biotin complex technique employing three murine monoclonal antibodies (C494, C219, JSB-1) to different epitopes of the P-glycoprotein molecule. Evaluation of immunostaining of normal canine tissues revealed positive labeling detected by each antibody in the liver, proximal renal tubular epithelium, adrenal cortex, colonic epithelium, and capillary endothelial cells of the brain. A total of 166 tumors of epithelial or mesenchymal origin were evaluated for P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity. Hepatomas (4/4), colorectal adenomas (7/7), colorectal carcinomas (4/4), adrenal cortical adenomas (3/3), hemangiopericytomas (15/15), apocrine gland adenocarcinomas (4/5, 80%), and transitional cell carcinomas (2/2) consistently labeled with at least one of the antibodies. Histiocytomas (0/10), cutaneous plasma cell tumors (0/10), fibromas (0/3), fibrosarcomas (0/4), and leiomyomas (0/4) were uniformly negative with all antibodies. Malignant lymphomas (6/22, 27.3%), malignant melanomas (4/13, 30.8%), leiomyosarcomas (3/6, 50%), mammary gland carcinomas (12/19, 63.2%), mammary gland adenomas (3/9, 33.3%), squamous cell carcinomas (8/10, 80%), basal cell tumors (5/7, 71.4%), apocrine gland adenomas (1/2, 50%), cholangiocarcinomas (2/3, 66.7%), and thyroid gland carcinomas (2/4, 50%) gave variable results. The antibodies C494, JSB-1, and C219 labeled 66/166 (39.8%), 53/166 (31.9%), and 38/166 (22.9%) of all tumors studied, respectively. A total of 26/166 (15.7%), 22/166 (13.3%), and 37/166 (22.6%) of tumors were labeled by all three, just two, or one antibody alone, respectively. The antibody C494 was the only antibody labeling 28/166 (16.9%) of the cases. JSB-1 alone labeled 9/166 (5.4%) of the tumors. C219 failed to label any tumors not also labeled by either C494 or JSB-1. Labeling by C494 was more intense and specific than labeling by the other two antibodies. Results indicate that P-glycoprotein can be detected in routinely processed canine tissues. The detection of P-glycoprotein within canine liver, kidney, adrenal gland, and colon and within tumors arising from these tissues is consistent with that reported in the literature for human tissues. Variable labeling results of other tumors such as malignant lymphoma and mammary gland carcinomas also is consistent with reports of human studies. Detection of multidrug resistance markers such as P-glycoprotein in canine tissues may provide additional information upon which to base a prognosis or to design treatment regimens for canine tumors.