1. Enteric Glial Cells: A New Frontier in Neurogastroenterology and Clinical Target for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
- Author
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Suren Soghomonyan, Sven Wehner, Fernando Ochoa-Cortes, Rosario Cuomo, Fabio Turco, Andrómeda Liñán-Rico, Emmett E. Whitaker, Fievos L. Christofi, Ochoa Cortes, Fernando, Turco, Fabio, Linan Rico, Andromeda, Soghomonyan, Suren, Whitaker, Emmett, Wehner, Sven, Cuomo, Rosario, and Christofi, Fievos L.
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Cell signaling ,Central nervous system ,reactive hEGC phenotype ,Inflammation ,tipartite synapse ,Cell Communication ,Biology ,calcium signaling ,Enteric Nervous System ,postoperative ileus ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,human enteric glial cell ,GI infection ,neuroglial communication ,medicine ,Immunology and Allergy ,Humans ,Future Directions and Methods for IBD Research ,Palmitoylethanolamide ,Inflammatory Bowel Disease ,Gastroenterology ,Purinergic signalling ,Neurogastroenterology ,Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ,Prognosis ,gliotransmission ,3. Good health ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,enteric glial cells ,chemistry ,motility ,Cytoprotection ,Immunology ,Neuroglia ,Enteric nervous system ,medicine.symptom ,Enteric Glia ,Neuroscience ,purinergic signaling ,Signal Transduction - Abstract
Article first Published online 18 December 2015, The word “glia” is derived from the Greek word “γλοια,” glue of the enteric nervous system, and for many years, enteric glial cells (EGCs) were believed to provide mainly structural support. However, EGCs as astrocytes in the central nervous system may serve a much more vital and active role in the enteric nervous system, and in homeostatic regulation of gastrointestinal functions. The emphasis of this review will be on emerging concepts supported by basic, translational, and/or clinical studies, implicating EGCs in neuron-to-glial (neuroglial) communication, motility, interactions with other cells in the gut microenvironment, infection, and inflammatory bowel diseases. The concept of the “reactive glial phenotype” is explored as it relates to inflammatory bowel diseases, bacterial and viral infections, postoperative ileus, functional gastrointestinal disorders, and motility disorders. The main theme of this review is that EGCs are emerging as a new frontier in neurogastroenterology and a potential therapeutic target. New technological innovations in neuroimaging techniques are facilitating progress in the field, and an update is provided on exciting new translational studies. Gaps in our knowledge are discussed for further research. Restoring normal EGC function may prove to be an efficient strategy to dampen inflammation. Probiotics, palmitoylethanolamide (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor–α), interleukin-1 antagonists (anakinra), and interventions acting on nitric oxide, receptor for advanced glycation end products, S100B, or purinergic signaling pathways are relevant clinical targets on EGCs with therapeutic potential.
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- 2015