Human placental form of glutathione S-transferase (GST-pi) as a new immunohistochemical marker for human colonic carcinoma.

Human placental form of glutathione S-transferase (GST-pi) was detected in human colonic carcinomas and adenomas by peroxidase anti-peroxidase method using antibody raised against GST-pi. Of 60 carcinomas, including differentiated adenocarcinomas and undifferentiated carcinomas, 88% were positive for GST-pi staining, and 47% of 23 adenomas were also positive. In the normal colonic mucosa, GST-pi was not detectable or was only weakly stained in the basal parts of the absorptive cells or in the cytoplasm of the cells containing little mucin. These results indicate that GST-pi is a possible new marker for immunohistochemical detection of human colonic carcinoma and some adenomas.