TFF3 is a small molecule peptide mainly secreted by the intestinal goblet cells. It exerts mucosal repair effects in the gastrointestinal tract. It can reduce intestinal permeability by regulation of tight junctions. TFF3 expression changes significantly in diseases such as cancer, colitis, diabetes and non-alcoholic liver disease leading to the suggestion that it could be used as a biomarker of gastrointestinal function, inflammation and disease.
References:
Yang, Y., Lin, Z., Lin, Q. et al. Pathological and therapeutic roles of bioactive peptide trefoil factor 3 in diverse diseases: recent progress and perspective. Cell Death Dis 13, 62 (2022).