The aortic valve is a complex structure responsible for blood flow from left ventricle to aorta. The elasticity and function of the valve is largely dependent on the presence of elastic fibers. Previous studies report a correlation between Aortic Valve (AoV) Leaflets melanocytic pigmentation and elastic fiber abundance. However, the involvement of melanocytes in elastogenesis is unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between the presence of melanocytic pigments, melanocytic gene expression, and elastic fiber abundance in the AoV leaflets. To achieve this, we utilized three mouse models with different pigmentation. We performed fluorescence staining to visualize the elastic fibers abundance and analyzed the expression of melanocytic markers (Tyr and DCT) using RT-qPCR. Our results suggest that neither the presence/absence of melanocytic markers or pigments alone is sufficient to explain the observed elastin phenotype and additional mechanisms likely contribute to elastogenesis beyond pigmentation or melanocytic gene expression.
