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Published on: December 16, 2016
Trefoil factor 1 is required for the commitment programme of mouse oxyntic epithelial progenitors
S M Karam1, C Tomasetto, M-C Rio
1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, PO Box 17666, United Arab Emirates. skaram@uaeu.ac.ae
Trefoil factor 1 (TFF1) is crucial for normal gastric epithelial cell differentiation. Its absence in knockout mice leads to altered cell lineages and impacts TFF2 and TFF3 expression patterns.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Trefoil factor 1 (TFF1), also known as pS2, is a key secretory protein in the stomach.
- TFF1 knockout mice exhibit a propensity for developing gastric adenomas and carcinomas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of TFF1 in the differentiation of gastric epithelial cell lineages.
- Analysis was performed on oxyntic mucosa from both normal and TFF1 knockout mice.
Main Methods:
- Cell lineages (pit, neck, parietal, enteroendocrine) were identified using specific markers.
- Trefoil factor (TFF) 1, TFF2, and TFF3 expression patterns were analyzed via western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunogold electron microscopy.
Main Results:
- In normal mice, TFF1 and TFF2 were expressed in mucus-secreting cells early on, with TFF3 appearing in pit and parietal cells by P7. By P21, TFF1 and TFF2 localized to pit and neck cells, respectively, and TFF3 shifted to zymogenic cells.
- TFF1 deficiency resulted in significant pit cell hyperplasia at the expense of parietal cells by P21.
- Lack of TFF1 led to suppressed TFF2 expression and earlier TFF3 expression.
Conclusions:
- All three trefoil factors (TFF1, TFF2, TFF3) exhibit lineage-specific expression in the oxyntic mucosa.
- TFF1 plays an essential role in regulating the differentiation program of gastric epithelial progenitor cells.
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