Weigners Fixative–An Alternative to Formalin Fixation for Histology With Improved Preservation of Nucleic Acids

2012 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Klopfleisch ◽  
M. von Deetzen ◽  
A. Th. Weiss ◽  
J. Weigner ◽  
F. Weigner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acids ◽  
Protein Detection ◽  
Formalin Fixation ◽  
Nuclear Staining ◽  
Tissue Storage ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Ffpe Tissues ◽  
Ffpe Material ◽  
Von Willebrand ◽  
Willebrand Factor

Formalin fixation and paraffin embedding (FFPE) is the standard method for tissue storage in histopathology. However, FFPE has disadvantages in terms of user health, environment, and nucleic acid integrity. Weigners fixative has been suggested as an alternative for embalming cadavers in human and veterinary anatomy. The present study tested the applicability of Weigners for histology and immunohistochemistry and the preservation of nucleic acids. To this end, a set of organs was fixed for 2 days and up to 6 months in Weigners (WFPE) or formalin. WFPE tissues from the skin, brain, lymphatic tissues, liver, and muscle had good morphologic preservation, comparable to formalin fixation. The quality of kidney and lung samples was inferior to FFPE material due to less accentuated nuclear staining and retention of proteinaceous interstitial fluids. Azan, Turnbull blue, toluidin, and immunohistochemical stainings for CD79a, cytokeratin, vimentin, and von Willebrand factor led to comparable results with both fixates. Of note, immunohistochemical detection of CD3 was possible after 6 months in WFPE but not in FFPE tissues. mRNA, miRNA, and DNA from WFPE tissues had superior quality and allowed for amplification of miRNA, 400-bp-long mRNA, and 1000-bp-long DNA fragments after 6 months of fixation in WFPE. In summary, Weigners fixative is a nonhazardous alternative to formalin, which provides a good morphologic preservation of most organs, a similar sensitivity for protein detection, and a superior preservation of nucleic acids. Weigners may therefore be a promising alternative to cryopreservation and may be embraced by people affected by formalin allergies.

scholarly journals Isolation of a circulating CD45-, CD34dim cell population and validation of their endothelial phenotype

2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (10) ◽  
pp. 770-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Tropea ◽  
Bonnie Harper ◽  
Grace Graninger ◽  
Terry Phillips ◽  
Gabriela Ferreyra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Population ◽  
Healthy Adult ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Standard Technique ◽  
Circulating Endothelial Cells ◽  
Nuclear Staining ◽  
Ulex Europaeus ◽  
Endothelial Phenotype ◽  
Von Willebrand ◽  
Willebrand Factor

SummaryAccurately detecting circulating endothelial cells (CECs) is important since their enumeration has been proposed as a biomarker to measure injury to the vascular endothelium. However, there is no single methodology for determining CECs in blood, making comparison across studies difficult. Many methods for detecting CECs rely on characteristic cell surface markers and cell viability indicators, but lack secondary validation. Here, a CEC population in healthy adult human subjects was identified by flow cytometry as CD45-, CD34dim that is comparable to a previously described CD45-, CD31bright population. In addition, nuclear staining with 7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD) was employed as a standard technique to exclude dead cells. Unexpectedly, the CD45-, CD34dim, 7-AAD- CECs lacked surface detectable CD146, a commonly used marker of CECs. Furthermore, light microscopy revealed this cell population to be composed primarily of large cells without a clearly defined nucleus. Nevertheless, immunostains still demonstrated the presence of the lectin Ulex europaeus and von Willebrand factor. Ultramicro analytical immunochemistry assays for the endothelial cell proteins CD31, CD34, CD62E, CD105, CD141, CD144 and vWF indicated these cells possess an endothelial phenotype. However, only a small amount of RNA, which was mostly degraded, could be isolated from these cells. Thus the majority of CECs in healthy individuals as defined by CD45-, CD34dim, and 7-AAD- have shed their CD146 surface marker and are senescent cells without an identifiable nucleus and lacking RNA of sufficient quantity and quality for transcriptomal analysis. This study highlights the importance of secondary validation of CEC identification.

Platelet Activation and Aggregation Induced by Recombinant von Willebrand Factors Reproducing Four Type 2B von Willebrand Disease Missense Mutations

1998 ◽  
Vol 79 (01) ◽  
pp. 211-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lysiane Hilbert ◽  
Claudine Mazurier ◽  
Christophe de Romeuf
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Aggregation ◽  
Platelet Activation ◽  
Von Willebrand Disease ◽  
Platelet Glycoprotein ◽  
Missense Mutations ◽  
Inhibit Platelet Aggregation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
A1 Domain ◽  
Von Willebrand ◽  
Willebrand Factor

SummaryType 2B of von Willebrand disease (vWD) refers to qualitative variants with increased affinity of von Willebrand factor (vWF) for platelet glycoprotein Ib (GPIb). All the mutations responsible for type 2B vWD have been located in the A1 domain of vWF. In this study, various recombinant von Willebrand factors (rvWF) reproducing four type 2B vWD missense mutations were compared to wild-type rvWF (WT-rvWF) for their spontaneous binding to platelets and their capacity to induce platelet activation and aggregation. Our data show that the multimeric pattern of each mutated rvWF is similar to that of WT-rvWF but the extent of spontaneous binding and the capacity to induce platelet activation and aggregation are more important for the R543Q and V553M mutations than for the L697V and A698V mutations. Both the binding of mutated rvWFs to platelets and platelet aggregation induced by type 2B rvWFs are inhibited by monoclonal anti-GPIb and anti-vWF antibodies, inhibitors of vWF binding to platelets in the presence of ristocetin, as well as by aurin tricarboxylic acid. On the other hand, EDTA and a monoclonal antibody directed against GPIIb/IIIa only inhibit platelet aggregation. Furthermore, the incubation of type 2B rvWFs with platelets, under stirring conditions, results in the decrease in high molecular weight vWF multimers in solution, the extent of which appears correlated with that of plasma vWF from type 2B vWD patients harboring the corresponding missense mutation. This study supports that the binding of different mutated type 2B vWFs onto platelet GPIb induces various degrees of platelet activation and aggregation and thus suggests that the phenotypic heterogeneity of type 2B vWD may be related to the nature and/or location of the causative point mutation.

Von Willebrand disease and Weibel-Palade bodies

2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (03) ◽  
pp. 150-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Wang ◽  
J. Eikenboom
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Adhesion ◽  
Coagulation Factor ◽  
Von Willebrand Disease ◽  
Inflammatory Factors ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Storage Organelle ◽  
And Function ◽  
Von Willebrand ◽  
Willebrand Factor

SummaryVon Willebrand factor (VWF) is a pivotal haemostatic protein mediating platelet adhesion to injured endothelium and carrying coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) in the circulation to protect it from premature clearance. Apart from the roles in haemostasis, VWF drives the formation of the endothelial cell specific Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs), which serve as a regulated storage of VWF and other thrombotic and inflammatory factors. Defects in VWF could lead to the bleeding disorder von Willebrand disease (VWD).Extensive studies have shown that several mutations identified in VWD patients cause an intracellular retention of VWF. However, the effects of such mutations on the formation and function of its storage organelle are largely unknown. This review gives an overview on the role of VWF in WPB biogenesis and summarizes the limited data on the WPBs formed by VWD-causing mutant VWF.

Visualization of von Willebrand Factor Multimers by Enzyme-Conjugated Secondary Antibodies

1986 ◽  
Vol 55 (02) ◽  
pp. 276-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Brosstad ◽  
Inge Kjønniksen ◽  
B Rønning ◽  
H Stormorken
Keyword(s):  
Von Willebrand Factor ◽  
Chromogenic Substrate ◽  
Agarose Electrophoresis ◽  
Secondary Antibodies ◽  
Von Willebrand ◽  
Willebrand Factor ◽  
Beta Galactosidase

SummaryA method for visualization of the multimeric forms of von Willebrand Factor (vWF) in plasma and platelets is described. The method is based upon: 1) Separation of the vWF multimers by SDS-agarose electrophoresis, 2) Subsequent blotting of the vWF multimers onto nitrocellulose, 3) Immunolocalization and visualization of the vWF pattern by the sequential incubation of the blot with a) primary vWF antiserum, b) peroxidase- or beta-galactosidase-conjugated secondary antibodies and a relevant chromogenic substrate.

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