title: Mid-Esophagus Columnar Metaplasia: What Is the Biopathogenic Pathway?
abstract: We report a case of metaplastic columnar epithelium in the mid-esophagus in a patient with history of caustic ingestion. A cardiac-type gastric phenotype, with early signs of intestinalization, was confirmed by immunohistochemistry studies (MUC5AC, MUC6, SOX2, and CDX2). Nonmetaplastic mucosa had histologic evidence of gastroesophageal reflux. In this case, esophageal reepithelization seems to have been modulated by acidic gastroesophageal reflux, which might activate transcription factors leading to phenotypic reprogramming of the regenerative epithelium. Most interestingly, it is a clinical example showcasing the origin of columnar metaplasia from stem cells located within the esophageal epithelium.
authors.affiliation: 1 Portuguese Oncology Institute Francisco Gentil, E.P.E., Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rolim
authors.affiliation: 1 Portuguese Oncology Institute Francisco Gentil, E.P.E., Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rita Vale
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: 1 Portuguese Oncology Institute Francisco Gentil, E.P.E., Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bettencourt
authors.affiliation: 2 Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal.|3 Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Porto, Portugal.|4 Faculty of Dental Medicine of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.|6 Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: 2 Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal.|3 Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Vânia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Camilo
authors.affiliation: 1 Portuguese Oncology Institute Francisco Gentil, E.P.E., Lisbon, Portugal.|5 Beira Interior University, Covilhã, Portugal.
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dias Pereira
authors.affiliation: 2 Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal.|3 Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Porto, Portugal.|6 Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.|7 Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: 1 Portuguese Oncology Institute Francisco Gentil, E.P.E., Lisbon, Portugal.|5 Beira Interior University, Covilhã, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaves
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000473:pathology*; D002424:Caustics / Q000633:toxicity*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002424:Caustics
keywords: Barrett’s esophagus; caustic injury; gastroesophageal reflux; mid-esophagus