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Table 2 Protein controls for immunohistochemistry

From: From proteins to genes: immunoanalysis in the diagnosis of muscular dystrophies

Control purpose

Protein

Normal expression

Secondary changes

Notes

Preservation of plasma membrane

Spectrin

Sarcolemma

Reduction in immature/regenerating fibres.

Absent or patchy in necrotic fibres.

Absent of patchy in biopsies with artefacts.

May be reduced in fibres with Neo-MHC, utrophin, laminin α5, MHC class I.

Absence of other sarcolemmal proteins.

Regenerating fibres

Neo-MHC

Fibres unlabelled

Labelling of regenerating fibres.

Labelling of atrophic fibres.

Coexpressed with laminin α5, MHC class I, utrophin

Regenerating fibres

Utrophin

Vessels, nerves and neuromuscular junction

Labelling of regenerating fibres.

Labelling of mature fibres in DMD/BMD.

Coexpressed with Neo-MHC, laminin α5, MHC class I

Regenerating fibres, denervation

nNOS

Sarcolemma

Reduction in regenerating and denervated fibres.

Absent in DMD, some BMD and sarcoglycanopathies.

Reduced in fibres expressing utrophin, Neo-MHC, laminin α5, MHC class I

Regenerating fibres

Laminin α5

Blood vessels

Labelling of regenerating fibres. Labelling of mature fibres in MDC1A.

Coexpressed with utrophin, Neo-MHC, laminin α5, MHC class I

Inflammation, regenerating fibres

MHC class I

Blood vessels

Labelling of regenerating fibres.

Sarcolemmal labelling in diseases with inflammatory component.

Coexpressed with utrophin, Neo-MHC, laminin α5

Basement membrane, integrity

Laminin β1

Sarcolemma and blood vessels

Sarcolemmal labelling reduced or patchy in many dominant and recessive conditions

 

Basement membrane, integrity

Laminin γ1, Perlecan

Sarcolemma and blood vessels

Patchy in biopsies with artefacts

 
  1. DMD/BMD Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy; MDC1A = congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A; MHC = major histocompatibility complex; Neo-MHC = neonatal myosin heavy chain; nNOS = neuronal nitric oxide synthase.