Immunohistochemistry of skin biopsies treated with proteinase K and microwave for diagnosis of persistent bovine viral diarrhea virus infection

Abstract

The aims of this study were to set up and to evaluate an immunohistochemical technique in bovine skin biopsies for the diagnosis of persistently infected cattle with Bovine Viral Diarrhea virus. Formalin fixed, paraffinembedded skin tissues were submitted to different treatments for antigen retrieval, incubated with 15.c.5, WB160, WB162, WB210 and WB215 monoclonal antibodies, and developed with the biotin-streptoavidin-peroxidase system. Monoclonal antibodies 15.c.5 and WB210, which react with the glycoprotein E^rns of the Bovine Viral Diarrhea virus, successfully detected the virus after unmasking the antigen. The remaining monoclonal antibodies did not react in formalin fixed tissues. The stain pattern and its distribution were identical in all persistently infected bovines examined and is typical of this condition. The immunohistochemistry applied to formalinfixed skin biopsies using monoclonal antibody 15.c.5, previous enzymatic antigenic unmasking, is a useful method for the diagnosis of persistently infected bovines.