title: Distribution of enteric glia and GDNF during gut inflammation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The enteric glia network may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Enteric glia cells (EGCs) are the major source of glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), which regulates apoptosis of enterocytes. The aim of the study was to determine the distribution of EGCs and GDNF during gut inflammation and to elucidate a possible diminished enteric glia network in IBD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in colonic biopsies of patients with IBD, controls and patients with infectious colitis was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Tissue GDNF levels were measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of GFAP and GDNF in the mucosal plexus is highly increased in the inflamed colon of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and infectious colitis. Although the GDNF and GFAP content are increased in Crohn's disease (CD), it is significantly less. Additionally the non-inflamed colon of CD patients showed a reduced GFAP and no GDNF expression compared to controls and the non-inflamed colon of UC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GFAP and GDNF as signs of activated EGCs are increased in the inflamed mucosa of patients with UC and infectious colitis, which underline an unspecific role of EGC in the regulation of intestinal inflammation. The reduced GFAP and GDNF content in the colon of CD patients suggest a diminished EGC network in this disease. This might be a part of the pathophysiological puzzle of CD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I, University of Ulm, Germany. georg.boyen@uniklinik-ulm.de
authors.forename: Georg B T
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: von Boyen
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pflüger
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Spaniol
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinkamp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017615:Enteric Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C495039:GDNF protein, human; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein