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Immunocytochemical staining of different cell types in vaginal smears by monoclonal anti‐DNA methylase antibodies
Author(s) -
Naujoks H.,
Siracky J.,
Drahovsky D.,
Pfeifer G. P.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
diagnostic cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.417
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1097-0339
pISSN - 8755-1039
DOI - 10.1002/dc.2840040310
Subject(s) - monoclonal antibody , staining , dna , antibody , cell , microbiology and biotechnology , antigen , population , biology , pathology , medicine , immunology , biochemistry , environmental health
Enzymatic methylation of mammalian DNA is closely related to the replication process; also, the synthesis of DNA meth‐ylase, an enzyme that is responsible for this process, is cell cycle related. A monoclonal antibody against DNA methylase recognizes proliferatively active cells in the heterogenous population. We used this antibody to identify the proliferative state of different cell types in normal vaginal smears and in smears of patients with precancerous lesions and cervical cancer. In all preparations, the normal epithelial cells remained unstained. The majority of cancer cells gave a positive immunocytochemical signal indicating the presence of DNA methylase antigen and the proliferative state. Staining was also observed in dyskaryotic cells, particularly in nuclei of parabasal‐type cells. Diagn Cytopathol 1988;4:230–233.