Aspirin promotes TFF2 gene activation in human gastric cancer cell lines

Trefoil factor family (TFF) peptides promote cell migration, heal the mucos a and may suppress tumor growth, In reporter gene assays we show that aspir in (1-12 mM) evokes a six-fold up-regulation of TFF2, but not TFF1 and TFF3 transcription in human gastrointestinal cell lines, 6 h after application up-regulation of endogenous TFF2 mRNA was observed. TFF2 transcription was enhanced by indomethacin and arachidonic acid but repressed by staurosporin e, suggesting mediation via protein kinase C, We mapped an aspirin respondi ng element -536 to -758 by upstream of TFF2, Upregulation of TFF2 by aspiri n may partially explain the chemopreventive potential of low dose aspirin i n gastrointestinal carcinogenesis. (C) 2001 Federation of European Biochemi cal Societies, Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.