Villin is an actin-binding protein found in microvilli. It’s expression pattern is cytoplasmic and generally restricted to epithelial cells in the GI tract. It is a sensitive marker for colon adenocarcinomas, but not entirely specific. It also stains renal proximal tubules and hepatic bile ducts.
CDX-2 and Villin expression in human tumors (2-3+ expression) (Werling, R.W., et. al.)
|
Tumor Type
|
No.
|
CDX2
|
Villin
|
|
G.I. Tract
|
|
|
|
|
Colon Adenocarcinoma
|
75
|
99%
|
82% (n=73)
|
|
Duodenal Adenoma
|
10
|
100%
|
100%
|
|
Gastric Adenocarcinoma
|
24
|
70%
|
42%
|
|
Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
|
9
|
67%
|
78%
|
|
Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
|
22
|
32%
|
40%
|
|
Cholangiocarcinoma/GB
|
16
|
25%
|
60%
|
|
Hepatocellular Carcinoma
|
12
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Carcinoid Tumors
|
12
|
42%
|
34%
|
|
Ovary
|
|
|
|
|
Mucinous Adenocarcinoma
|
14
|
64%
|
64%
|
|
Mucinous Cystadenoma
|
13
|
8%
|
0%
|
|
Mucinous Borderline Tumor
|
4
|
25%
|
0%
|
|
Non-Mucinous
|
36
|
0%
|
0% (n=31)
|
|
Genitourinary Tract
|
|
|
|
|
Urothelial Carcinoma
|
21
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Adenocarcinoma
|
2
|
100%
|
100%
|
|
Urachal Caricinoma
|
1
|
100%
|
100%
|
|
Renal Cell Carcinoma
|
7
|
0%
|
0% (n=3)
|
|
Prostate Adenocarcinoma
|
27
|
4%
|
0% (n=24)
|
|
Breast Carcinoma
|
34
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Lung (45 primary; 18 met)
|
63
|
0%
|
5%
|
|
Adenocarcinoma
|
11
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
|
11
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Non-Small Cell Carcinoma NOS
|
33
|
0
|
9%
|
|
Mucinous Carcinoma
|
2
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Small Cell Carcinoma
|
4
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Mesothelioma
|
7
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Head and Neck
|
|
|
|
|
Thyroid
|
36
|
3%
|
0%
|
|
Papillary Carcinoma
|
11
|
9%
|
0%
|
|
Follicular Adenoma/Carcinoma
|
25
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Salivary Gland
|
12
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Mixed Tumor
|
6
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Low Grade Carcinoma
|
6
|
0%
|
0%
|
|
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
|
13
|
0%
|
0% (n=11)
|
Photomicrographs
References:
Gastroenterol94:343-52, 1988.
Hadi, AIMM Annual Meeting, “Carcinomas of Unknown Primary”, presentation, 2011.
Werling, R. W., Yaziji, H., Bacchi, C. E., & Gown, A. M. (2003). CDX2, a highly sensitive and specific marker of adenocarcinomas of intestinal origin: an immunohistochemical survey of 476 primary and metastatic carcinomas. The American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 27(3), 303–310.