Editorial
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 7, 2011; 17(13): 1666-1673
Published online Apr 7, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i13.1666
Isolated lymphoid follicles in colon: Switch points between inflammation and colorectal cancer?
Ferenc Sipos, Györgyi Műzes
Ferenc Sipos, Györgyi Műzes, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary
Author contributions: Sipos F and Műzes G contributed equally to the writing and revising of this paper.
Correspondence to: Ferenc Sipos, MD, PhD, Cell Analysis Laboratory, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary. dr.siposf@gmail.com
Telephone: +36-20-4780752 Fax: +36-1-2660816
Received: January 5, 2011
Revised: February 12, 2011
Accepted: February 19, 2011
Published online: April 7, 2011
Abstract

Gut-associated lymphoid tissue is supposed to play a central role in both the organization of colonic repair mechanisms and colorectal carcinogenesis. In inflammatory conditions, the number, diameter and density of isolated lymphoid follicles (ILFs) increases. They are not only involved in immune surveillance, but their presence is also indispensable in normal mucosal regeneration of the colon. In carcinogenesis, ILFs may play a dual role. On the one hand they may support tumor growth and the metastatic process by vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling and producing a specific cytokine and cellular milieu, but on the other hand their presence is sometimes associated with a better prognosis. The relation of ILFs to bone marrow derived stem cells, follicular dendritic cells, subepithelial myofibroblasts or crypt formation, which are all involved in mucosal repair and carcinogenesis, has not been directly studied. Data about the putative organizer role of ILFs is scattered in scientific literature.

Keywords: Isolated lymphoid follicle; Colon; Mucosal repair; Colorectal cancer; Epithelial stem cell; Myofibroblast; Follicular dendritic cell; Mesenchymal-epithelial transition; Epithelial-mesenchymal transition