Possibilities of false immunocytochemical results generated by the use of monoclonal antibodies: the example of the anti-proinsulin antibody.

The immunocytochemical application of a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against the Arg-Arg region at the junction of the C-peptide and the insulin beta-chain of the human proinsulin molecule on rat pancreatic tissue resulted in positive immunogold labeling over the insulin- as well as the glucagon-secreting cells. In the insulin cells, the Golgi cisternae and the immature clathrin-coated granules were intensely labeled, and in the glucagon cells all the granules were labeled. Control experiments using the anti-proinsulin MAb adsorbed with proinsulin, insulin, and glucagon have confirmed the crossreactivity of this proinsulin antibody with glucagon. Furthermore, the anti-proinsulin MAb appears to crossreact not only with rat but also with human glucagon and with bovine and porcine insulin and glucagon. Examination of the amino acid sequences of proinsulin and proglucagon has shown that both molecules display this Arg-Arg dipeptide sequence, which could explain the labeling obtained on both cell types. In addition, other propeptides also display such a sequence and, indeed, positive cells were detected in rat pituitary. These results demonstrate that by immunocytochemistry this MAb, although providing very specific results, reveals non-related molecules. This is due to the fact that these molecules exhibit similar short determinants. MAbs raised against very short amino acid sequences can reveal this determinant in various molecules, generating false-positive results.