Trefoil factor family-peptides promote migration of human bronchial epithelial cells - Synergistic effect with epidermal growth factor

A process termed "restitution" enables rapid repair of the respiratory epit helium by migration of neighbouring cells. Mucin-associated TFF-pepticles ( formerly P-domain peptides or trefoil factors) are typical motogens enhanci ng migration of cells in various in vitro models mimicking restitution of t he intestine. The human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B was used as a model system of airway restitution. The motogenic activities of recombina nt human TFF2 as well as porcine TFF2 were demonstrated by in vitro wound h ealing assays of BEAS-2B cells. TFF2 did not induce phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. EGF was capable of enhancing the mo togenic effect of human TFF2 at a concentration of 3 X 10(-10) M whereas EG F itself (i.e., in the absence of TFF2) did not stimulate migration at this low concentration. Furthermore, TFF2 as well as monomeric and dimeric form s of TFF3 enhanced migration of BEAS-2B cells in Boyden chambers. Motogenic activity of TFF2 was also shown for normal human bronchial epithelial (NHB E) cells in Boyden chambers. These results suggest that TFF-pepticles act a s motogens in the human respiratory epithelium triggering rapid repair of d amaged mucosa in the course of airway diseases such as asthma.