The preservation and loss of various non-haematopoietic antigens in human post-mortem tissues as demonstrated by monoclonal antibody immunohistological staining.

Immunohistological methods using monoclonal antibodies have proved to be valuable in the differentiation between cells of various origins. We have previously shown most leucocyte differentiation antigens to be very resistant to post-mortem disintegration (Pallesen & Knudsen 1985). In the present study we have examined the preservation of several non-haematopoietic antigens in tissue samples of human skin, kidney, liver, pancreas, lung, thyroid gland, uterine tissue, female breast and brain from 30 autopsies performed at specific intervals after death. Frozen tissue sections were stained using monoclonal antibodies and an immunoperoxidase method. A total of 17 monoclonal antibodies against various intermediate filament proteins, epithelial antigens, various hormones and factor VIII related antigen were tested. We found surprisingly good preservation and staining of tissue antigens--even 3 d after death--in all organs except pancreas. It is concluded that many tissue antigens are fairly resistant to post-mortem disintegration and that immunohistology may be applied to diagnostic problems in human autopsy material.