Description
NKX2.1/TTF-1 is a member of the NKx2 family of homeodomain transcription factors. It is expressed in epithelial cells of the thyroid gland and the lung. Nuclei from liver, stomach, pancreas, small intestine, colon, kidney, breast, skin, testes, pituitary, prostate, and adrenal glands are unreactive. Anti-NKX2.1 is useful in differentiating primary adenocarcinoma of the lung from metastatic carcinomas originating in the breast, mediastinal germ cell tumors, and malignant mesothelioma. It can also be used to differentiate small cell lung carcinoma from lymphoid infiltrates. Loss of NKX2.1 expression in non-small cell lung carcinoma has been associated with aggressive behavior of such neoplasms. NKX2.1 reactivity is also seen in thyroid malignancies