Villin

Immunohistochemical expression

Only staining of the brush border appears to be of diagnostic value.

 

staining of the brush border more than 25% of tumour cells

Adenocarcinomas

Colorectum

60/731, 24/242

Oesophagus

7/91

Stomach

10/241, 6/62

Duodenum

4/41

Pancreas

8/221, 12/142

Gallbladder / cholangiocarcinoma

9/161, 2/22

Hepatocellular

0/121, 1/12

Ovary, mucinous adenocarcinoma

9/141

Ovary, non-mucinous, NOS

0/311

Breast

0/341, 0/122

Endometrium

4/112

Ovary

0/92

Prostate

0/241

Bladder adenocarcinoma

3/31

Kidney

0/71, 13/212

Thyroid

0/361

Adenoma

Duodenum

10/101

Ovary, mucinous cystadenoma

0/131

Ovary, mucinous borderline tumour

0/41

Gastrointestinal carcinoid

4/121

Lung primaries

Squamous cell carcinoma

0/111

Adenocarcinoma NOS

0/111, 5/182, 0/263

Mucinous

0/21, 1/143

non-small cell and NOS

3/331

Small cell carcinoma

0/41

Mesothelioma

0/71, 0/72

Other carcinomas

transitional cell carcinoma of bladder

3/211

salivary gland pleomorphic adenoma

0/61

salivary gland low grade carcinoma

0/61

head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

0/131

 

Diagnostic utility

Villin appears to be inferior to CDX2 in sensitivity and specificity for the identification of metastases from colorectal and other gastrointestinal primaries. However, it may be useful in combination with CDX2, particularly in extra-gastrointestinal mucinous tumours with anomalous positivity for CDX-2.

References

1Werling, R.W., Yaziji, H., Bacchi, C.E. and Gown, A.M. CDX2, a Highly Sensitive and Specific Marker of Adenocarcinomas of Intestinal Origin: An Immunohistochemical Survey of 476 Primary and Metastatic Carcinomas. Am J Surg Pathol 2003;27:303-10.

2Moll, R., Robine, S., Dudouet, B. and Louvard, D. Villin: a cytoskeletal protein and a differentiation marker expressed in some human adenocarcinomas. Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol Incl Mol Pathol 1987;54:155-69.

3Goldstein, N. S. and M. Thomas (2001). "Mucinous and nonmucinous bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinomas have distinct staining patterns with thyroid transcription factor and cytokeratin 20 antibodies." Am J Clin Pathol 116(3): 319-25.

 

This page last revised 21.5.2004.

©SMUHT/PW Bishop