Esophageal melanosis:Two case reports and review of literature

Esophageal melanosis(EM)is a rare condition characterized by melanin pigmentation in the esophageal mucosa.It is not well understood and has been documented in less than 100 cases worldwide.CASE SUMMARY We report two cases of African American patients who complained of significant weight loss(over 20 pounds in approximately six months)and abdominal pain during their first visit.The first case involves a 54-year female with a history of hepatic steatosis and polysubstance abuse,who also experiences nausea and vomiting.The second case is a 59-year-old male with hypertension and gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD),who was diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Both cases show benign melanocytes in the basal layer on the esophagus biopsy and are diagnosed as EM.CONCLUSION It is important to note that EM has been associated with malignancies such as carcinoma and melanoma.Therefore,accurate diagnosis and appropriate management are crucial.Patients with EM,especially those with concurrent risk factors(e.g.,GERD,smoking),should be carefully monitored for any signs of malignancy.

A microarray study of altered gene expression during melanoblasts migration in normal pigmented White Leghorn and hyperpigmented mutant Silky Fowl

Melanoblasts originating from neural crest cells can migrate through the mesenchyme of the developed embryo and give rise to melanocytes.Unlike the melanocytes that are confined to the integument in other vertebrates,melanocytes in Silky Fowl can reach the ventral regions of the embryos owing to differences in gene expression in the process of melanoblasts migration.In this study,we used microarray profiling to identify differences in gene expression between White Leghorn and Silky Fowl.Differential expression of 2517 microarray probes(P<0.01,Fold Change>2)was observed in Silky Fowl compared to White Leghorn.After filtration by cluster analysis,functional annotation and pathway analysis,eight differentially expressed genes were identified to be closely related to the development of melanocytes.Moreover,differences in expression of immune genes were also detected between Silky Fowl and White Leghorn.The differentially expressed genes associated with melanocyte development were verified by q-PCR,and results were highly consistent with the microarray data.The genes with significantly altered expression involved in melanoblast migration and development suggested that different microenvironments resulted in the abnormal melanoblast migration in Silky Fowl,although there were no big differences in melanoblast development between these two breeds.The candidate genes discovered in this study are beneficial to understand the molecular mechanism of hyperpigmentation in Silky Fowl.

Effect of An Atmospheric Plasma Jet on the Differentiation of Melanoblast Progenitor

Objective Melanoblasts are the cell source of regeneration for pigment restoration.The ability to differentiate into mature melanocytes is the essential feature of melanoblasts in depigmentation diseases.Cold atmospheric plasma is an ionized gas with near-room temperature and highly reactive species that has been shown to induce stem cell differentiation.The aim of the study was to explore the effect of cold atmospheric plasma on the differentiation of melanoblast progenitor cells.Methods In this study,melanoblasts were exposed to the plasma jet and the cell morphology was observed.The cell cycle and cell proliferation were detected.Furthermore,the cell immunofluorescence and the detection of melanin particle and nitric oxide were carried out to investigate the differentiation of melanoblast progenitor cells.Results Cells that were treated with the plasma had longer and more synaptic structures,and the G1 phase of cell cycle was prolonged in the treated group.More melanin synthesis-related proteins and melanin particles were produced after plasma treatment.Nitric oxide was one of the active components generated by the plasma jet,and the nitric oxide content in the cell culture medium of the treated group increased.Conclusion These results indicate that an increase in nitric oxide production caused by a plasma jet can promote cell differentiation.The application of plasma provides an innovative strategy for the treatment of depigmentation diseases.