Impact of histological processing on endogenous elemental contents and distributions in breast cancer tissue sections
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Trace metal homeostasis is critical for cellular function and often disrupted in diseases such as cancer. Spatially resolved techniques enable mapping of metal distributions within complex cellular environments, surpassing the limitations of bulk analyses. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues are widely used in research, yet the impact of FFPE processing on endogenous elemental contents and distributions remains unclear, with conflicting findings across sample types. This study evaluates the suitability of FFPE human breast carcinoma tissue sections for multielemental bioimaging by direct comparison with paired fresh frozen (FF) tissues and assesses potential sources of contamination or elemental losses during processing. Three FF human breast carcinoma specimens were bisected and processed as either FF or FFPE. Serial sections underwent analyses by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), alongside hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-staining, to compare elemental profiles in whole sections and morphologically distinct regions. In parallel, FFPE processing reagents encompassing tissue-marking dyes, formalin, paraffin wax, xylene, and ethanol were analyzed via solution ICP-MS to contextualize the in situ findings. The multielemental imaging results revealed that Zn, Mn, and Fe were largely preserved in FFPE sections, supporting the continued use of such tissues for in situ metal analyses. Addition of Cu was observed for all FFPE samples, most likely caused by exposure to blue tissue-marking dye. Formalin induced variable elemental leaching, most notably affecting Mg. Paraffin wax, ethanol, and xylene contained minimal trace metal levels both before and after contact with tissues.
Date Issued
2026-07-27
Date Acceptance
2026-01-26
Citation
Chemical & Biomedical Imaging, 2026, 4 (7), pp.1390-1404
ISSN
2832-3637
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Start Page
1390
End Page
1404
Journal / Book Title
Chemical & Biomedical Imaging
Volume
4
Issue
7
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Authors. Co-published by Nanjing University and American Chemical Society. This publication is licensed under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 .
Identifier
10.1021/cbmi.5c00217
Subjects
elemental imaging
laser ablation ICP-MS
tissue processing
formalin-fixed paraffin embedding (FFPE)
breast cancer
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2026-02-04