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APOBEC3C / DNA dC->dU-editing enzyme APOBEC-3C · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for APOBEC3C
Plan APOBEC3C staining in paraffin sections using the IHC-validated antibody and cell-type controls (datasheet A07527-1; HPA tissue IHC). Interpret cytoplasmic and membranous tissue staining alongside UniProt’s nuclear and cytoplasmic protein localisation (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
APOBEC3C Immunohistochemistry Experimental Design Guide
Expected localisation, validated protocols, controls and antibodies — the at-a-glance facts below, then the full design guide.
Must know before staining
| Expected localisation | Cytoplasmic and membranous tissue staining (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Staining pattern | Lymphoid and glandular cells: cytoplasmic or membranous staining (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A07527-1) | |
| Positive control | Appendix+4 more · see all | |
| Negative control | Adipose tissue+4 more · see all |
Important caveats
Reasons your staining may differ from the expected pattern.
| Fixation | Keep paraffin-section fixation consistent (standard IHC practice; not target-specific) | |
| Caveat | Staining intensity varies by cell type (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | Regulation not specified in the supplied record (UniProt) | |
| Isoform / epitope | One 1–190 chain; no isoforms or membrane-spanning segment (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended APOBEC3C IHC & IF Protocols
The catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol (datasheet: A07527-1) is accompanied by published FFPE IHC protocols for pancreatic specimens (PMC9232547) and lung adenocarcinoma specimens (PMC12780011).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human breast cancer tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A07527-1) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A07527-1); verify before use. |
| Sectioning | 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard) |
| Deparaffinisation | Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard) |
| Antigen retrieval | Heat retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 (datasheet A07527-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard) |
| Peroxidase block | 3% H2O2, 10 min, room temperature (standard) |
| Blocking | 10% goat serum (datasheet A07527-1) |
| Primary antibody | Rabbit anti-APOBEC3C, 2-5 μg/ml (datasheet A07527-1) |
| Primary incubation | Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A07527-1) |
| Detection | HRP-conjugated secondary, DAB chromogen (datasheet A07527-1) |
| Counterstain | Hematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard) |
| Expected result | APOBEC3C-positive staining in lymphoid tissue of appendix (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA tissue profile: Cytoplasmic and membranous expression in several tissues. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with heat-mediated EDTA pH 8.0 retrieval (datasheet: A07527-1). For pancreatic FFPE sections, compare Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 for 10 min (PMC9232547).
Section 2
What Is the Expected APOBEC3C Staining Pattern?
In paraffin-section IHC, expect cytoplasmic and membranous APOBEC3C staining in selected cells across several tissues (HPA: tissue IHC profile). High staining is reported in appendix lymphoid tissue, lymph-node germinal-center cells, kidney glomerular cells and placental trophoblasts (HPA: High). The tissue IHC profile is Approved, with medium consistency between staining and RNA data (HPA: reliability). APOBEC3C has no transmembrane segment (UniProt Q9NRW3: topology).
| Distinct cytoplasmic and membranous staining in the expected cell population. | This fits the reported paraffin-section pattern when assessed in a mapped positive population, such as appendix lymphoid tissue or lymph-node germinal-center cells (HPA: tissue IHC; High). Score the named cells and their compartments rather than treating every cell in the section as an equivalent positive control (general IHC practice). |
| Predominantly nuclear staining, with little cytoplasmic signal. | This differs from the HPA tissue IHC profile, which describes cytoplasmic and membranous expression (HPA: tissue IHC). Nuclear localization is listed separately (UniProt Q9NRW3: subcellular location), so nuclear signal alone cannot establish an artefact. Check controls and the stained cell population before assigning specificity (general IHC practice). |
| Strong staining in a cell population listed as not detected. | Adipocytes in adipose tissue and respiratory epithelial cells in bronchus are listed as Not detected (HPA: tissue IHC). Unexpected signal there raises concern for cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity; it does not identify which mechanism is responsible. Compare a no-primary control and an expected positive section processed together (general IHC practice). |
| Diffuse colour across tissue, including areas without a clear cellular pattern. | A diffuse deposit is difficult to reconcile with a cell-resolved cytoplasmic and membranous profile (HPA: tissue IHC). Treat it as possible background until primary-omission and detection controls clarify the source (general IHC practice). Do not score uniform background as APOBEC3C-positive cells. |
| No staining in an expected positive cell population. | An absent signal in appendix lymphoid tissue, lymph-node germinal-center cells or placental trophoblasts conflicts with their reported High staining (HPA: tissue IHC). First confirm that the relevant cells are present and that the detection controls worked (general IHC practice). One negative section alone does not establish absent protein expression. |
💡Expected APOBEC3C appearanceCall a positive IHC result when clearly discernible cytoplasmic and membranous staining occurs in HPA-listed High cell populations; diffuse colour or staining in HPA-listed Not detected cells requires control-based review (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice).
| Cell population chosen for scoring | HPA reports High staining in appendix lymphoid tissue, colon endothelial cells, epididymal and gallbladder glandular cells, kidney glomerular cells, lymph-node germinal-center cells, ovarian follicle cells and placental trophoblasts (HPA: tissue IHC). Score the named population within each tissue; adjacent cell types need their own evidence. |
| Low or undetected comparison populations | Alveolar cells in lung and glandular cells in salivary gland are Low, while bronchial respiratory epithelial cells and adipocytes are Not detected (HPA: tissue IHC). These categories offer a range for interpretation, but a Low population is not an absence control (general IHC practice). |
| Compartment evidence across methods | Tissue IHC is described as cytoplasmic and membranous (HPA: tissue IHC); ICC-IF reports approved intermediate-filament localization (HPA: subcellular ICC-IF). UniProt lists nucleus and cytoplasm (UniProt Q9NRW3: subcellular location). These observations come from different assays and should be interpreted in their own context. |
| Antibody validation | The tissue IHC profile is Approved with medium staining-to-RNA consistency (HPA: tissue IHC reliability). CAB033048 is IHC Approved, whereas HPA071523 is ICC Approved without an IHC status in the supplied record (HPA: antibodies). An ICC image does not by itself validate an IHC staining pattern. |
| Protein topology and processing | APOBEC3C has no transmembrane segment, signal peptide, propeptide or listed glycosylation sites (UniProt Q9NRW3: topology and processing). Thus the reported membranous IHC appearance should be described as staining at that location, without inferring that APOBEC3C spans the membrane. |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| No signal in an HPA High population | The expected cells may be absent from the examined area, or the general IHC workflow may have failed; the image alone cannot separate those possibilities (HPA: High; general IHC practice). | Locate the named cells on the counterstained section, then review the positive control and detection steps run alongside it (general IHC practice). If using a catalog antibody, follow its own IHC-P instructions for assay settings; no dilution or retrieval condition is supplied here. |
| Colour remains widespread after primary antibody is omitted | Signal persisting without primary antibody points to the detection system or endogenous activity rather than a primary-antibody-dependent APOBEC3C pattern (general IHC practice). | Review the no-primary control and the detection chemistry; apply the appropriate endogenous-activity control or blocking step for that chemistry, then reassess cell-resolved staining (general IHC practice). |
| Widespread staining occurs only when primary antibody is present | Non-specific primary-dependent staining is possible when colour extends beyond the cell populations and compartments reported for tissue IHC (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | Compare mapped positive and Not detected populations on sections processed together; review primary-antibody concentration and blocking under the validated IHC workflow (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| A section shows strong nuclear-only staining | The pattern differs from HPA tissue IHC, although UniProt also lists nuclear localization (HPA: tissue IHC; UniProt Q9NRW3: subcellular location). | Check the no-primary control, cell identity and a mapped positive tissue before calling it APOBEC3C; report the nuclear observation separately if it persists (general IHC practice). |
| Bronchial respiratory epithelial cells or adipocytes appear strongly positive | Both populations are listed as Not detected, so the result warrants review for cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity; neither cause is proven by the pattern alone (HPA: tissue IHC). | Compare a no-primary control and a named High population processed in parallel; score each population separately rather than interpreting the entire tissue as positive (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| Does an ICC-IF intermediate-filament pattern replace the IHC expectation? | No. Intermediate filaments are the approved ICC-IF location, while tissue IHC reports cytoplasmic and membranous staining; the supplied antibody statuses also differ by assay (HPA: subcellular ICC-IF; HPA: tissue IHC; HPA: antibodies). | For paraffin-section IHC, interpret the cell and compartment pattern against the tissue IHC record. Treat the ICC-IF observation as assay-specific context; use the separate IF/ICC guide for that application (HPA: tissue IHC; HPA: subcellular ICC-IF). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing APOBEC3C staining
A07527-1 · IHCIHC analysis of APOBEC3C using anti-APOBEC3C antibody (A07527-1). APOBEC3C was detected in a paraffin-embedded section of human breast cance
A07527-1 · IHCIHC analysis of APOBEC3C using anti-APOBEC3C antibody (A07527-1). APOBEC3C was detected in a paraffin-embedded section of human pancreas can
A07527-1 · IFIF analysis of APOBEC3C using anti-APOBEC3C antibody (A07527-1) and anti-Beta Tubulin antibody (M01857-3). APOBEC3C was detected in immunocy
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000244509-APOBEC3C/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_8583488
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000244509-APOBEC3C/tissue/colon#imid_8583422
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000244509-APOBEC3C/tissue/liver#imid_8583415
HPA · KidneyHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Kidney. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000244509-APOBEC3C/tissue/kidney#imid_8583424
HPA · ICC-IF PC-3Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, PC-3, antibody HPA071523; green = APOBEC3C, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
HPA · ICC-IF PC-3Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, PC-3, antibody HPA071523; green = APOBEC3C, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for APOBEC3C IHC & IF
🧪Run appendix first: lymphoid tissue should stain strongly (HPA: High in appendix lymphoid tissue). Use adipose tissue as the negative comparator, with adipocytes expected to lack detectable staining (HPA: Not detected in adipocytes); on the appendix slide, assess non-lymphoid cells against background without assuming they are verified APOBEC3C-negative cells (HPA: appendix result specifies lymphoid tissue only).
Positive control tissue: Appendix (Lymphoid tissue, HPA High)
Negative control tissue: Adipose tissue (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA ICC-IF images show APOBEC3C in PC-3, U2OS, with annotated localisation: Intermediate filaments (approved) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include a no-primary, secondary-only control, a concentration-matched rabbit IgG isotype control, and APOBEC3C-knockout tissue or a validated peptide-block control where available (selected-SKU caption: rabbit primary; standard IHC practice). Check endogenous peroxidase in appendix lymphoid tissue before interpreting DAB signal (selected-SKU caption: HRP/DAB detection; standard IHC practice).
⚠️Feasibility: A target-specific fixation window or fixation effect is unreported, and the selected-SKU paraffin-section caption does not state the fixative (selected-SKU caption: fixative not stated). The documented paraffin IHC example uses heat retrieval in EDTA at pH 8.0, but the evidence does not establish that retrieval is required or that frozen sections or IF are easier (selected-SKU caption: EDTA retrieval; HPA: ICC-IF images in PC-3 and U2OS). In appendix, endogenous peroxidase can complicate HRP/DAB interpretation, so compare signal with the no-primary control (HPA: High in appendix lymphoid tissue; standard IHC practice).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for APOBEC3C
Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Approved — Medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression data.). Rows are taken directly from the HPA tissue chart — click any row's HPA link to view the source.
Positive expression · recommended positive controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appendix | Lymphoid tissue | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Colon | Endothelial cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Epididymis | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Gallbladder | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Kidney | Cells in glomeruli | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Undetected expression · recommended negative controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adipose tissue | Adipocytes | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Bronchus | Respiratory epithelial cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Caudate | Glial cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Cerebellum | Cells in granular layer | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Fallopian tube | Glandular cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Section 3
Advanced APOBEC3C IHC Tips
Troubleshoot APOBEC3C staining in paraffin sections by checking retrieval, compartment, cell identity, controls and scoring before interpreting DAB signal.
How should I retrieve APOBEC3C in paraffin sections with weak staining?
Start with heat-mediated retrieval in EDTA at pH 8.0 for the IHC-validated antibody (datasheet A07527-1). The demonstrated paraffin-section workflow then used 10% goat serum, 2 μg/ml primary antibody overnight at 4°C, and DAB detection (datasheet A07527-1). If staining remains weak, compare a longer or shorter heating interval on adjacent sections while holding antibody concentration and detection constant (standard IHC practice). Include a previously stained section as a run control so changes in retrieval can be distinguished from changes in staining chemistry (standard IHC practice). The caption does not report the tissue fixative (datasheet A07527-1).
Could fixation explain inconsistent APOBEC3C staining across paraffin blocks?
Target-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown because the selected paraffin-section caption does not state its fixative (datasheet A07527-1). Record the fixative, time in fixative, processing history and section age for each block before comparing staining (standard IHC practice). Compare adjacent sections under the same EDTA pH 8.0 retrieval and antibody conditions, using an internal positive cell population when available (datasheet A07527-1; standard IHC practice). If signal varies with processing history, assess replicate blocks and staining controls before attributing the difference to APOBEC3C abundance (standard IHC practice). HPA staining patterns do not establish a fixation effect for this antibody (HPA: tissue IHC profile).
How should I evaluate nuclear, cytoplasmic and membranous APOBEC3C staining?
Annotate nuclear and cytoplasmic staining separately because both locations are reported for APOBEC3C (UniProt Q9NRW3: subcellular location). HPA describes cytoplasmic and membranous staining in several tissues, while its approved IF location is intermediate filaments (HPA: tissue IHC profile; HPA: subcellular). Compare each compartment with DAB signal in an omission control and with the expected staining of nearby cells on the same section (standard IHC practice). APOBEC3C has no transmembrane segment, so a sharp membrane-only outline deserves closer scrutiny rather than automatic acceptance as target signal (UniProt Q9NRW3: topology). Score compartments separately across comparable cells and fields (standard IHC practice).
What could cause an epitope-dependent APOBEC3C staining discrepancy?
The supplied record lists a single 1–190 chain, no reported isoforms, no signal peptide, and no annotated glycosylation or modified residues (UniProt Q9NRW3: processing, isoforms, modifications). Its CMP/dCMP-type deaminase domain spans residues 29–138, but the antibody epitope is not identified in the supplied caption (UniProt Q9NRW3: domain; datasheet A07527-1). Do not assign discrepant tissue staining to an alternative isoform or a specific masked residue without independent evidence (standard IHC practice). Instead, compare retrieval conditions on adjacent sections and, if available, an independently validated antibody with a documented distinct epitope (standard IHC practice). Keep detection and scoring conditions matched during that comparison (standard IHC practice).
How can I check APOBEC3C localisation by multiplex IF?
Use IF as a separate localisation check, pairing APOBEC3C with a marker for the cell population being examined; HPA reports high tissue staining in lymph-node germinal center cells, among others (HPA: tissue IHC). Choose fluorophores after viewing an unstained section, placing the weaker signal in a channel with less tissue autofluorescence and checking single-stain controls for bleed-through (standard IF practice). Because APOBEC3C is reported in the nucleus and cytoplasm and has no transmembrane segment, use controlled permeabilisation when testing intracellular epitopes (UniProt Q9NRW3: location, topology; standard IF practice). HPA reports an approved intermediate-filament IF location, which merits comparison with the chromogenic compartment pattern (HPA: subcellular). Do not transfer the paraffin-section fixation assumptions to IF specimens (datasheet A07527-1).
How do I separate APOBEC3C signal from diffuse brown background?
Run a primary-antibody omission control and inspect unstained tissue for pigment before calling diffuse DAB deposits positive (standard IHC practice). Quench endogenous peroxidase as part of the chromogenic workflow, then check whether residual brown signal follows cells or persists in the omission control (standard IHC practice). The demonstrated workflow used 10% goat serum before 2 μg/ml primary antibody overnight at 4°C; use it as a reference when adjusting block or antibody concentration (datasheet A07527-1). Compare serial dilutions on adjacent sections while keeping retrieval and development consistent (standard IHC practice). Interpret diffuse edge staining cautiously if it lacks a reproducible cellular pattern (standard IHC practice).
How should I score heterogeneous APOBEC3C DAB staining? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the cell population and compartment before scoring, then report either percent positive cells or an H-score using intensity categories 0–3 (standard IHC practice). For dispersed positive cells, density per mm² of viable tissue can supplement the percentage (standard IHC practice). Normalise cell counts to the number of eligible cells in the same annotated compartment, or density to measured viable area, excluding necrosis and tissue edges (standard IHC practice). Keep retrieval, exposure to DAB and scoring thresholds consistent across sections, and review a stained control with every batch (standard IHC practice). Report nuclear and cytoplasmic results separately where both are present (UniProt Q9NRW3: subcellular location; standard IHC practice).
When is an APOBEC3C-positive DAB pattern convincing?
Look for reproducible cellular staining in an appropriate compartment and compare it with a primary-antibody omission control and a run control (UniProt Q9NRW3: subcellular location; standard IHC practice). HPA reports high staining in appendix lymphoid tissue and lymph-node germinal center cells, whereas adipocytes are listed as not detected; these provide cell-context comparisons, not a guarantee for another specimen (HPA: tissue IHC). Treat isolated membrane-only staining cautiously because APOBEC3C has no transmembrane segment, although HPA reports membranous tissue staining (UniProt Q9NRW3: topology; HPA: tissue IHC profile). Exclude edge deposits, necrotic areas, pigment and signal remaining after primary omission or peroxidase blocking before assigning positivity (standard IHC practice).
Boster reagents
Best APOBEC3C / DNA dC->dU-editing enzyme APOBEC-3C IHC Antibodies
The IHC-validated antibody A07527-1 has human paraffin-section IHC images from breast, pancreas and stomach cancers, plus ICC/IF data in HELA cells (catalog image captions).
Real IHC data
Anti-APOBEC3C Antibody ®
Cat # A07527-1
A07527-1 is listed for IHC and ICC/IF; its IHC images show human paraffin sections from breast, pancreas and stomach cancers (catalog applications; IHC image captions). Its ICC/IF image uses HELA cells, and its listed reactivity is human, mouse and rat (catalog IF image caption; reactivity).
Which to pick: For tissue IHC, choose A07527-1: its images show human paraffin sections with EDTA retrieval at pH 8.0 and 2 μg/ml primary antibody; the fixative is unreported (catalog IHC image captions). For IF/ICC, the same SKU has a HELA-cell image at 5 μg/ml (catalog IF image caption). For mouse or rat samples, the SKU lists species reactivity, but the supplied IHC/IF images document human material only; clone information is unreported (catalog reactivity; IHC/IF image captions; clone field).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry Q9NRW3 (ABC3C_HUMAN, DNA dC->dU-editing enzyme APOBEC-3C).
- Human Protein Atlas. APOBEC3C tissue IHC expression (reliability: Approved).
- Human Protein Atlas. APOBEC3C subcellular location (ICC-IF): Localized to the intermediate filaments..
- Human Protein Atlas. APOBEC3C antibody validation summary (2 antibodies).
- Aberrant APOBEC3C expression induces characteristic genomic instability in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Oncogenesis 2022 — PMC9232547.
- APOBEC3C coordinates DDX5 in R-loop resolution and dynamic control of Chk1-mediated stress-responsive circuitry as a prerequisite for gemcitabine resistance in p53-deficient cells. Cell death & disease 2026 — PMC12780011.
- An Integrated Immune-Related Bioinformatics Analysis in Glioma: Prognostic Signature's Identification and Multi-Omics Mechanisms' Exploration. Frontiers in genetics 2022 — PMC9114310.
- PubMed PMID:15461802 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:14702039 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:10591208 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for APOBEC3C (DNA dC->dU-editing enzyme APOBEC-3C). Expected localisation Cytoplasmic and membranous tissue staining (HPA tissue IHC). Antigen retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A07527-1). Validated IHC antibody: A07527-1 at 2-5 μg/ml (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Appendix (Lymphoid tissue); negative Adipose tissue. IHC-P workflow on paraffin sections; fixative unspecified. Protocol steps: 1. Sample: Paraffin-embedded human breast cancer tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A07527-1); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A07527-1); verify before use.; 3. Sectioning: 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard); 4. Deparaffinisation: Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard); 5. Antigen retrieval: Heat retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 (datasheet A07527-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard); 6. Peroxidase block: 3% H2O2, 10 min , room temperature (standard); 7. Blocking: 10% goat serum (datasheet A07527-1); 8. Primary antibody: Rabbit anti-APOBEC3C, 2-5 μg/ml (datasheet A07527-1); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A07527-1). Watch for: Fixation: Keep paraffin-section fixation consistent (standard IHC practice; not target-specific); Caveat: Staining intensity varies by cell type (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: One 1–190 chain; no isoforms or membrane-spanning segment (UniProt); Regulation: Regulation not specified in the supplied record (UniProt). Evidence: UniProt Q9NRW3, HPA tissue IHC · Approved, HPA ICC-IF · intermediate filaments., Datasheet A07527-1, PMC9232547, PMC12780011. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/APOBEC3C/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.