Signal transduction and gene transcription induced by TFF3 in oral keratinocytes

Eur J Oral Sci. 2009 Oct;117(5):511-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0722.2009.00652.x.

Abstract

Trefoil factor family 3 (TFF3) is secreted in saliva. The peptide improves the mechanical and chemical resistance of mucins, and it may act as a motility signal for oral keratinocytes during wound healing. This study aimed to identify novel functions of TFF3 in oral keratinocytes. To achieve this, we used phosphoprotein and messenger RNA (mRNA) arrays to compare TFF3-treated and untreated oral keratinocytes. Analysis of the phosphoprotein array indicated that TFF3 signals through the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB) pathway. Microarray analysis of mRNA showed that TFF3 stimulation induced changes in the expression of genes functionally related to cell death/survival, cell growth and proliferation, and cell movement. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results indicated that the transcription of some immediate-early genes (IEGs) was downregulated, whereas the IEGs FBJ osteosarkoma oncogene (FOS) and C-MYC binding protein (MYCBP2) were transiently upregulated by TFF3 stimulation. Together, the results of the arrays indicate that TFF3 is a modifying factor in pathways regulating cell survival, cell growth and proliferation, and cell migration of oral keratinocytes. Trefoil factor family 3 may therefore promote oral wound healing and it should be considered for the treatment of oral ulcerating diseases, or of other diseases.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / drug effects
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Genes, Immediate-Early / drug effects
  • Genes, fos / drug effects
  • Humans
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / analysis
  • Keratinocytes / drug effects*
  • Keratinocytes / enzymology
  • Male
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / analysis
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / analysis
  • Mouth Mucosa / drug effects*
  • Mouth Mucosa / enzymology
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Peptides / analysis
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / analysis
  • Phosphoproteins / analysis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / analysis
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Transcription Factors / drug effects
  • Transcription, Genetic / drug effects*
  • Trefoil Factor-2
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • Young Adult
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / analysis

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • MYCBP protein, human
  • Peptides
  • Phosphoproteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors
  • Trefoil Factor-2
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases