Editorial
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2006; 12(27): 4281-4295
Published online Jul 21, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i27.4281
Heme in intestinal epithelial cell turnover, differentiation, detoxification, inflammation, carcinogenesis, absorption and motility
Phillip S Oates, Adrian R West
Phillip S Oates, Adrian R West, Physiology M311, School of Biomedical Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Nedlands 6009, Australia
Correspondence to: Phillip S Oates, Physiology M311, School of Biomedical Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Nedlands 6009, Australia. poates@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Telephone: +61-8-64881391 Fax: +61-8-64881025
Received: April 5, 2006
Revised: April 28, 2006
Accepted: May 25, 2006
Published online: July 21, 2006
Abstract

The gastrointestinal tract is lined by a simple epithelium that undergoes constant renewal involving cell division, differentiation and cell death. In addition, the epithelial lining separates the hostile processes of digestion and absorption that occur in the intestinal lumen from the aseptic environment of the internal milieu by defensive mechanisms that protect the epithelium from being breached. Central to these defensive processes is the synthesis of heme and its catabolism by heme oxygenase (HO). Dietary heme is also an important source of iron for the body which is taken up intact by the enterocyte. This review describes the recent literature on the diverse properties of heme/HO in the intestine tract. The roles of heme/HO in the regulation of the cell cycle/apoptosis, detoxification of xenobiotics, oxidative stress, inflammation, development of colon cancer, heme-iron absorption and intestinal motility are specifically examined.

Keywords: Absorption; Heme; Uptake; Release; Heme oxygenase; Oxidant; Cytoprotection; Inflammation; Cancer; Detoxification