Review
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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2011; 17(10): 1261-1266
Published online Mar 14, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i10.1261
S100B protein in the gut: The evidence for enteroglial-sustained intestinal inflammation
Carla Cirillo, Giovanni Sarnelli, Giuseppe Esposito, Fabio Turco, Luca Steardo, Rosario Cuomo
Carla Cirillo, Giovanni Sarnelli, Fabio Turco, Rosario Cuomo, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
Giuseppe Esposito, Luca Steardo, Department of Human Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
Author contributions: Cirillo C and Cuomo R contributed to the conception, the draft and the final approval of the review; Sarnelli G, Esposito G, Turco F and Steardo L contributed to the critical revision of the review.
Supported by research funds from the Italian Ministry of University and Research (COFIN Projects No. 2004062155 to GS and RC)
Correspondence to: Rosario Cuomo, Professor, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine University of Naples “Federico II”,Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. rcuomo@unina.it
Telephone: +39-81-7463892 Fax: +39-81-7463892
Received: October 19, 2010
Revised: November 25, 2010
Accepted: December 2, 2010
Published online: March 14, 2011
Abstract

Glial cells in the gut represent the morphological and functional equivalent of astrocytes and microglia in the central nervous system (CNS). In recent years, the role of enteric glial cells (EGCs) has extended from that of simple nutritive support for enteric neurons to that of being pivotal participants in the regulation of inflammatory events in the gut. Similar to the CNS astrocytes, the EGCs physiologically express the S100B protein that exerts either trophic or toxic effects depending on its concentration in the extracellular milieu. In the CNS, S100B overexpression is responsible for the initiation of a gliotic reaction by the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, which may have a deleterious effect on neighboring cells. S100B-mediated pro-inflammatory effects are not limited to the brain: S100B overexpression is associated with the onset and maintenance of inflammation in the human gut too. In this review we describe the major features of EGCs and S100B protein occurring in intestinal inflammation deriving from such.

Keywords: Enteric glial cells, Nitric oxide, Intestinal diseases