Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 87. (Budapest 1995)

Józsa, L. ; Pap, I.: Histochemical and immunohistochemical analysis of mummy skin

of Rhamses the Fifth. An Italian team identified smallpox virus particles by immune electron microscopic analysis in a 16th century mummified child's skin alteration (FORNACIARI & MARCHETTI 1986). Immunohistochemistry is starting to gain ground in the analysis of skeletalized material. This started us to examine the detectability of certain mummy tissue components. Contemporary pathology utilizes collagen and non-collagen matrix proteins of skin, their localization and the changes of their proportion in several disease entities. We utilized recent material's distribution and detectability as a control to compare tissue proteins identifiable in mummy skin. Several matrix proteins detectable in recent skin, tenascin, vitronectin, thrombospondin, etc. are permanent components of intact skin. Laminin and Type IV collagen are present in all blood vessels and basal membranes and in the basal membrane between epithelium and corium. No matrix proteins could be detected with the exception of laminin and fibronectin in mummy skin. These later were detected in traces. Fibronectin could be found in vessel walls of mummy skin. As it could be expected fibre forming collagens kept not only their staining and refraction characteristics but their immunological ones as well. The detectability of Type I and III collagens by immunohistochemical methods provides hope to recognize other diseases by analysing mummy skin (and other tissues) where pathological alterations of collagens are present. We do not know any paleopathological works that presented collagen diseases (lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, etc.). The typical inflammatory reactions of these diseases are impossible to detect in mummy tissues therefore the detection of pathological alterations of collagens could result in a viable paleopathological diagnosis. The other group of our immunohistochemical examinations was centred on the detectability of cell markers. The identification of cell markers mentioned above is far from having only theoretical significance. The very detectability of CK and EMA characteristic for epithelial cells in mummy skin opened up the prospect to uncover the histogenesis of benign and malign tumours - not at all infrequent in mummies. According to our results, it is well worth the effort - what is more, it is necessary to detect cell markers to establish the epithelial, interstitial or muscular origin of a tumour. It is often not easy to establish the nature of any tumour (cancer, sarcoma or melanoma) in recent material. Deprived of the possibility to observe the morphology of cells and nucleus karyokinesis, etc. the paleopathologist is facing a much more difficult task. These are the cases when immunohistochemistry can be of great use and sometimes it can provide the only means of analysis. Our results prove the long term survivability of several tissue and cell proteins. These materials are well able to survive post mortal processes as well as the techniques of mummification. It indicates the practicability of recent pathohistologic methods in mummy tissue and skeletalized material analysis. The more methods are applied the more complete picture can be obtained. SUMMARY We analysed two Egyptian mummies' facial skin fragments by histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The melanin contents of epithelium and the glycoproteins and proteoglycans of corium were clearly presented. The tinction of glycosaminoglycans were only faintly recognizable. The peroxidase activity of red blood cells could be indicated by benzidine reaction. Immunohistochemical analysis made it possible to detect collagen Types I, III and IV, laminin, fibronectin and desmin. Epithelium contained cy to keratin and epithelial membrane antigen.