Published online Apr 15, 2011. doi: 10.4291/wjgp.v2.i2.19
Revised: January 28, 2011
Accepted: February 4, 2011
Published online: April 15, 2011
The number of patients suffering from symptoms associated with gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders is on the rise. GI motility disorders are accompanied by alteration of gastrointestinal smooth muscle functions. Currently available drugs, which can directly affect gastrointestinal smooth muscle and restore altered smooth muscle contractility to normal, are not satisfactory for treating patients with GI motility disorders. We have recently shown that ERK1/2 and p38MAPK signaling pathways play an important role in the contractile response not only of normal intestinal smooth muscle but also of inflamed intestinal smooth muscle. Here we discuss the possibility that ERK1/2 and p38MAPK signaling pathways represent ideal targets for generation of novel therapeutics for patients with GI motility disorders.