TFF3
Description
The TFF3 (trefoil factor 3) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 21.
Trefoil factor 3 is a protein encoded by the TFF3 gene in humans. Trefoil proteins are characterized by a specific 40-amino acid domain called the trefoil motif, which contains three conserved disulfide bonds. They are secreted proteins found in gastrointestinal mucosa and have diverse functions, including protecting the mucosa, thickening the mucus, and accelerating epithelial healing. TFF3 is a marker of columnar epithelium and is expressed in various tissues, including the goblet cells of the intestines and colon. This gene, along with two other related trefoil family member genes, is clustered on chromosome 21. All three human trefoil factors act as lectins, specifically binding to the disaccharide GlcNAc-α-1,4-Gal, which is found on heavily glycosylated mucins in the mucosa. By cross-linking mucins through this binding, trefoil factors reversibly modulate the thickness and viscosity of the mucus. Trefoil factors are secreted by mucin-producing cells and are present in breast milk.
TFF3 is also known as ITF, P1B, TFI.
