Immunohistochemical demonstration of leucocyte elastase in human tissues.

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Abstract
A polyclonal antiserum, produced in sheep and reactive against purified human leukocyte elastase, was applied to paraffin sections from a range of human tissues by means of the indirect immunoperoxidase method. Striking and consistent results have been obtained. Normal or inflammatory granulocytes were intensely positive, the reaction being blocked by pure elastase. Activity was not seen in other sites, including histiocytic reticulum and lymphoid cells, although some weaker reaction was present in gastric and ileal lining epithelium. Strong reactivity was also seen in the cells of acute and chronic myeloid leukemia and in extramedullary hemopoiesis. The advantages of this technique are compared with those for muramidase (lysozyme), .alpha.1-antitrypsin and naphthol-AS-D-chloroacetate esterase.