Differential Expression of Mucosal Trefoil Factors and Mucins in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Abstract

In the intestinal mucosa trefoil factors (TFF) and mucins (Muc) - primarily produced by goblet cells - are thought to play a major role in providing barrier function during infection and inflammation. To investigate their role in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) we obtained mucosal biopsies of children with CD, UC and healthy controls and analyzed genetic expression. Levels of TFF2 mRNA were lower in inflamed mucosal samples (terminal ileum (TI) and duodenum) of children with CD, but higher in non-inflamed mucosal samples when compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05). Similarly, TFF2 levels in the TI were significantly lower in inflamed UC tissue. Adjustment for goblet cell density revealed slightly less marked, yet significantly different gene expression in IBD and controls. Furthermore, TI expression of TFF2 and Muc2 was inversely correlated with interleukin-8 expression in CD (p = 0.027). In Summary, our data demonstrate significant changes in Muc and TFF mRNA expression in pediatric patients with IBD suggesting a role in mucosal healing. Further studies are needed to elucidate a potential use as biomarkers for disease progression.

Trefoil factors: Gastrointestinal-specific proteins associated with gastric cancer

“…TFF1 expression in the gastric mucosa is higher in the Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-positive patients than in the Hp-negative patients, but the discrepancy is not significant [73]. Researchers discovered that TFF1 expression was independent of both age and gender [10]. However, one study reported that in Hp-negative patients, TFF1 mRNA levels in women were notablely higher than in men, and they were significantly lower in positive than negative women [74].…”

“…In all TFF1-positive cancers, the protein is expressed in the cytoplasm of the tumor epithelial cells, as it is in normal gastric mucosal cells [10,25,72] (Fig. 2).…”

“…2), as well as duodenum (Brunner's gland) [10] (Table 1). Furthermore, TFF2 localization is in the cytoplasm and the membrane of normal gastric epithelial cells [38] (Fig.…”

The Effect of N. Acetylcysteine and Ginger on Acetic Acid Induced Colitis in Adult Male Albino Rat: Histological, Immunohistochemical and Morphometric Study

“…Also, lower levels of trefoil factor 2, peptides abundantly secreted by goblet cells on the lumen surface, were reported in mucosal biopsy of children with IBD [45]. Recently, impaired differentiation of goblet cells from intestinal stem cells was found in inflammatory bowel diseases and this resulted in defective mucus layer [46,47].…”

Chemokine expression of oral fibroblasts and epithelial cells in response to artificial saliva

“…Mucins are correlated with the severity of periodontal disease [26]. However, mucin 2 can even be inversely correlated with CXCL8 expression, at least in pediatric patients with Crohn's disease [27]. Also, different splice variants differ in their ability to modulate CXCL8 expression [28].…”