IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL REACTION PATTERNS OF KERATINS IN MNNG-INDUCED SHREW ESOPHAGEAL CARCINOMAS

The distribution of keratins in N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-i nduced oesophageal carcinomas in shrews was tested immunohistochemical ly, using a panel of seven different monoclonal antibodies. The studie s were done on methacarn-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, using the lab elled streptavidin biotin method, and the relationship between morphol ogical characteristics and keratin reaction patterns in carcinomas was analysed and compared with that in adjacent ''normal'' oesophageal ep ithelium. In the normal oesophageal epithelia, KL1, AE1, AE3, CK8.12 a nd CK4.62 stained suprabasal cells, 312C8-1 reacted to basal cells, an d KS-1A3 labelled all epithelial cells. In squamous cell carcinomas, a lmost all the cancer cells were labelled strongly by 312C8-1 and weakl y by KS-1A3, while a few cells in the centres of the keratinized foci were stained by KL1, AE1, AE3, CK8.12, and CK4.62. Like human oesophag eal carcinomas, shrew oesophageal carcinomas maintain expression of hu man keratin 14, as determined by 312C8-1. The expression of human kera tin 13, as determined by KS-1A3, was down-regulated.