The trefoil peptides TFF2 and TFF3 are expressed in rat lymphoid tissues and participate in the immune response

Members of the trefoil factor (TFF) family are mucin-associated polypeptide s that are expressed along the entire length of the gastrointestinal tract. TFFs have been proposed to play a role in mucosal defence through both pro tective and reparative mechanisms. The potential relationship between TFFs and mucins in non-gut glycoprotein-secreting epithelia has not been fully e xplored. In the present study we identified TFF2 and TFF3 mRNA and peptide in rat lymphoid tissues, demonstrated that TFF peptide expression in rat sp leen increased 1.5- to 3-fold following experimental induction of the immun e response, and showed that hTFF2 and hTFF3 (1-5 mg/ml) stimulated migratio n of human monocytes, Our data suggest that TFFs may in part be involved in the repair of injury through the modulation of the inflammatory response. (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.