Automated Immunohistochemistry Assay for the Detection of Napsin-A in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissues from Lung Tumors.

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) enables the selective detection of proteins in cells of formalin-fixed-paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections. This technique plays a key role in the identification and classification of primary lung cancer tumors through the evaluation of the expression of the aspartic proteinase Napsin-A. However, immunohistochemistry is a complex process involving many critical steps and the lack of standardization as well as inappropriate analytical conditions may contribute to inconsistent results between laboratories. Automated immunohistochemistry addresses this issue by ensuring the quality and the reproducibility of the results among different laboratories. Here we describe an automated IHC protocol used in our laboratory for the detection of Napsin-A in FFPE lung tissue sections.