S100B protein in the gut： The evidence for enteroglialsustained intestinal inflammation

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 SIOOB protein that exerts either trophic or toxic effects depending on its concentration in the extracellular milieu. In the CNS, SIOOB 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. SlOOB-mediated pro-inflammatory effects are not limited to the brain： SIOOB 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 SIOOB protein occurring in intestinal inflammation deriving from such.