Usefulness of a quick decalcification of bone sections embedded in methyl metacrylate: an improved method for immunohistochemistry.

• Grant number: 07/05651-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Scientific article
• Start date: November 01, 2007
• End date: March 31, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Samirah Abreu Gomes
• Grantee: Samirah Abreu Gomes
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Immunohistochemistry of undecalcified bone sections embedded in methyl methacrylate (MMA) is not commonly employed because of potential destruction of tissue antigenicity by highly exothermic polymerization. The aim of the present study was to describe a new technique in which a quick decalcification of bone sections embedded in MMA improves the results for immunohistochemistry. The quality of interleukin 1α (IL-1α) immunostaining according to the present method was better than the conventional one. Immunostaining for osteoprotegerin (OPG) and the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) in bone sections of chronic kidney disease patients with mineral bone disorders (CKD-MBD) was stronger than in controls (post mortem healthy subjects). The present study suggested that this method is easy, fast and effective to perform both histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry in the same bone fragment yielding new insights into pathophysiological aspects and therapeutic approaches in bone disease. (AU)