Thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) is an essential
enzyme for activation of the oral
cytostatic drug capecitabine and its intermediate metabolite,
doxifluridine, to
5-fluorouracil in
tumors. Methods to estimate dThdPase expression in
tumor tissue might be useful to predict the efficacy of
capecitabine and
doxifluridine in
cancer patients. We established a new
monoclonal antibody (MAb), 1C6-203, applicable for dThdPase immunohistochemistry and compared its staining characteristics with those of a previously established MAb, 654-1. In 4%
paraformaldehyde-fixed
colorectal carcinoma, 1C6-203 and 654-1 stained
cancer cells in 19/30 and 9/30 patients, respectively. In 10%
formalin-fixed
colorectal carcinoma, 1C6-203 and 654-1 stained
cancer cells in 18/30 and 6/30 patients, respectively. In negative 10%
formalin-fixed tissues, microwave treatment improved the positivity of 654-1-stained
cancer cells. These results suggest that an
epitope recognized by 1C6-203 is resistant to
epitope masking by
formaldehyde fixation, whereas that for MAb 654-1 is sensitive. Therefore, MAb 1C6-203 might be more suitable than MAb 654-1 for evaluating dThdPase expression in
colorectal carcinoma.