title: Metastatic melanomas in young broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus).
abstract: Four young broiler chickens affected by multiple melanotic tumors are described. Grossly, there were multiple tumors composed of melanocytes within the skin, skeletal muscle, and multiple visceral organs. Tumors ranged from flattened macules to masses that extensively replaced viscera. Microscopically, melanocytes were often well pigmented, and while there was moderate nuclear anisokaryosis, mitotic rates were low. Immunohistochemical staining of some melanomas with antibodies to S100 proteins, Melan-A, vimentin, or neuron-specific enolase after bleaching of tumor cells with potassium permanganate revealed lack of immunostaining of tumor cells with antibodies to S100, strong positive staining of tumor cells for neuron-specific enolase, moderate staining with antibodies to vimentin, and faint staining for Melan-A. Only neuron-specific enolase staining was evident in unbleached tumor cells. Attempts to identify exogenous avian leukosis viruses in these tumors were unsuccessful.
authors.affiliation: Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. smwillia@uga.edu
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zavala
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hafner
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Collett
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001354:Avian Leukosis Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D058965:MART-1 Antigen / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020460:Melanosomes / Q000473:pathology; D008940:Mitotic Index / Q000662:veterinary; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D010858:Pigmentation; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014746:Vimentin / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D058965:MART-1 Antigen; D009418:S100 Proteins; D014746:Vimentin; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase