An immunohistochemical study on the cytogenetic origin of pulmonary multinucleate giant cells in porcine dermatosis vegetans

The origin of pulmonary multinucleate giant cells (MGC) in porcine dermatosis vegetans was studied in six Norwegian Landrace pigs ages 4 (male), 5 (female), 6 (female), 10 (female), and 12 (one male, one female) weeks, using an avidin biotin peroxidase and alkaline phosphatase complex immunohistochemical method on sections of formalin- and ethanol-fixed and frozen tissue specimens. Well-characterized, commercially available antisera/monoclonal antibodies to keratin, vimentin, lysozyme, a monocytic antigen, and a myelomonocytic antigen were used. The immunoreactivity to intermediate-sized filaments in MGC was negative for keratins and positive for vimentin. In addition, a positive reaction was found in alveolar macrophages, chondrocytes, fibrocytes, alveolar lymphocytes, and granulocytes in ethanol-fixed tissue. Marked masking was observed in formalin-fixed tissue. Antilysozyme antiserum gave a positive cytoplasmic reaction in alveolar macrophages and MGC, although the reaction was variable in ethanol-fixed tissue. In trypsinized formalin-fixed tissue, a moderate and more consistent cytoplasmic reaction was observed in alveolar macrophages and MGC. Two monoclonal antibodies that identify human cells of the MMS, EMB 11 and Mac 387, were negative for EMB 11 in ethanol-fixed and frozen sections, whereas Mac 387 showed a positive and specific cytoplasmic immunoreaction in alveolar macrophages and small MGC in ethanol- and formalin-fixed tissue. Pulmonary MGC in dermatosis vegetans are derived from mesenchymal cells, and substantial evidence is provided in support of a monocyte/macrophage origin based on a positive reaction for lysozyme and a myelomonocytic antigen. The importance of adequate fixatives for immunohistochemical demonstration of cell-specific markers is clearly shown.