Detection of nuclear and membrane antigens by liquid-based cytology following long-term storage of d1 cells, karpas cells, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Immunofluorescence is the most frequently utilized technique to analyze protein expression. Fixed immunofluorescent cell suspensions, however, can only be stored for a week. We investigated whether liquid-based cytology could be used to detect antigens in cultured cells after a long storage period. Murine and human cells were fixed in PreservCyt solution, stored for various periods, and then used to perform an automated immunocytochemical analysis. Phosphorylation of the nuclear transcription factor Stat-5 induced by IL-7 was detected up to 4 months after IL-7 stimulation. Simultaneous nuclear positivity for the proliferation index MIB-1 and membrane positivity for the CD30 antigen were evident three months after fixation. Liquid-based cytology thus ensures long-lasting nuclear and membrane antigen immunoreactivity and permits the storage of cells from laborious experiments at room temperature for future analyses.