title: Polyamines regulate expression of E-cadherin and play an important role in control of intestinal epithelial barrier function.
abstract: Epithelial cells line the gastrointestinal mucosa and form an important barrier that protects the subepithelial tissue against a wide array of noxious substances, allergens, viruses and luminal microbial pathogens. Restoration of mucosal integrity following injury and various environmental stresses requires epithelial cell decisions that regulate signaling networks controlling gene expression, survival, migration and proliferation. Recently, it has been shown that polyamines play an important role in the regulation of cell-cell interactions and are critical for maintenance of intestinal epithelial integrity. Both the function of polyamines in expression of adherens junction proteins and their possible mechanisms, especially in implication of intracellular Ca2+ and c-Myc transcription factor, are the subject of this review article.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Service, Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10 North Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. jwang@smail.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: Jian-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D011073:Polyamines