Wall paintings facies and their possible genetic correlates in the ancient Pompeii: A bio-anthropologic message from the past?

The figurative arts and precisely the ancient Pompeian wall paintings portraits can provide an additional source of information in supplementing bio-anthropological studies. There are several genetic diseases with a wide spectrum of congenital bone stigmata in association to distinctive facial features. Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, also named nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, is an autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by unusual skeletal changes, such as macrocephaly, facial asymmetry, hypertelorism, frontal and parietal bossing caused by germline mutations of the gene PTCH1. The Gorlin syndrome, clinically defined in 1963, existed during Dynastic Egyptian times, as revealed by a spectrum of skeletal findings compatible with the syndrome in mummies dating back to three thousand years ago and, most likely, in the ancient population of Pompeii. In the present research, we discuss the potential relationship between Pompeian wall paintings portrait and the cranio-metric bone changes revealed among the Pompeian skull collections assuming that the ancient portraits can constitute an important tool that should be strictly integrated with osteologic and biomolecular data in order to argue a syndromic diagnosis in ancient population.

Skeletal stigmata as keys to access to the composite and ancient Gorlin-Goltz syndrome history: The Egypt, Pompeii and Herculaneum lessons.

There are several genetic diseases with a wide spectrum of congenital bone stigmata in association to cutaneous and visceral benign and malignant neoplasms. Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, also named nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, is an autosomal dominant systemic disease with almost complete penetrance and high intra-familial phenotypic variability, caused by germline mutations of the gene PTCH1. The syndrome is characterized by unusual skeletal changes and high predisposition to the development of multiple basal cell carcinomas, odontogenic keratocysts tumors and other visceral tumors. The Gorlin syndrome, clinically defined as distinct syndrome in 1963, existed during Dynastic Egyptian times, as revealed by a costellation of skeletal findings compatible with the syndrome in mummies dating back to 3000years ago and, most likely, in the ancient population of Pompeii. These paleogenetic and historical evidences, together with the clinical and biomolecular modern evidences, confirm the quite benign behavior of the syndrome and the critical value of the multiple and synchronous skeletal anomalies in the recognition of these rare and complex genetic disease.

Síndrome de Gorlin-Goltz. Síndrome del nevo baso-celular / Gorlin-Goltz syndrome. Basal cell nevus syndrome

Los autores describen los síntomas clínicos en tres sujetos de la misma familia, afectados por el síndrome del nevo basocelular. Se enfatiza la importancia de su conocimiento por parte del odontólogo, ya que su diagnóstico se puede establecer en base a los queratoquistes odontogénicos, sus características faciales, óseas y dermatológicas presentes en estos pacientes (AU)

Síndrome de Gorlin-Goltz. Síndrome del nevo baso-celular / Gorlin-Goltz syndrome. Basal cell nevus syndrome

Los autores describen los síntomas clínicos en tres sujetos de la misma familia, afectados por el síndrome del nevo basocelular. Se enfatiza la importancia de su conocimiento por parte del odontólogo, ya que su diagnóstico se puede establecer en base a los queratoquistes odontogénicos, sus características faciales, óseas y dermatológicas presentes en estos pacientes