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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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TFF2
trefoil factor 2
Chromosome 21 · 21q22.3
NCBI Gene: 7032Ensembl: ENSG00000160181.9HGNC: HGNC:11756UniProt: Q03403
86PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingCXCR4 chemokine receptor bindingmaintenance of gastrointestinal epitheliumnegative regulation of gastric acid secretionpancreatic carcinomaSplenomegalyAbruptio Placentaegastric cancer
✦AI Summary

TFF2 (trefoil factor 2) is a secreted peptide that serves multiple critical functions in gastrointestinal homeostasis and disease. Its primary function involves stabilizing the gastric mucus barrier through lectin-like interactions with the mucin MUC6, maintaining mucosal integrity and protecting against gastric acid damage 1. TFF2 acts as a paracrine signaling molecule, with decreased expression promoting inflammatory responses through FOXA2-mediated transcriptional regulation 2. The protein exhibits cellular repair properties, promoting intestinal epithelial cell migration and tight junction protein expression while inhibiting macrophage-mediated inflammation 3. In gastric pathophysiology, TFF2 is expressed during spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM), a precancerous condition arising from chief cell reprogramming following chr21 injury 4. TFF2 functions as a CXCR4 partial agonist, modulating immune cell activity including CD4+ T cell proliferation and neutrophil function 25. In pancreatic tissue, TFF2 defines transit-amplifying progenitor cells that protect against Kras-driven carcinogenesis 6. Clinically, TFF2 represents a therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel diseases and metabolic liver conditions, with fusion proteins showing promise in treating ulcerative colitis through enhanced mucosal repair mechanisms 3.

Sources cited
1
TFF2 stabilizes gastric mucus barrier through lectin interactions with MUC6
PMID: 26201258
2
TFF2 acts as paracrine factor regulated by FOXA2 and functions as CXCR4 partial agonist
PMID: 40587778
3
TFF2-Fc fusion protein promotes intestinal epithelial repair and inhibits macrophage inflammation
PMID: 37129719
4
TFF2 is expressed during spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia from reprogrammed chief cells
PMID: 34728185
5
TFF2 functions as CXCR4 partial agonist modulating neutrophil activity
PMID: 40578360
6
TFF2 defines pancreatic transit-amplifying progenitors protective against Kras-driven carcinogenesis
PMID: 37541213
Disease Associationsⓘ20
pancreatic carcinomaOpen Targets
0.20Weak
SplenomegalyOpen Targets
0.16Weak
Abruptio PlacentaeOpen Targets
0.14Weak
gastric cancerOpen Targets
0.12Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.10Weak
infectionOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
pachyonychia congenitaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
chronic kidney diseaseOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
Barrett's esophagusOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
colorectal cancerOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
SepsisOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
ulcerative colitisOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
cholangiocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
lung cancerOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
influenzaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
esophageal adenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
asthmaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
MUC5ACProtein interaction93%CXCR4Protein interaction82%GKN2Protein interaction79%GASTProtein interaction75%MUC6Protein interaction75%CBLIFProtein interaction70%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Ovary
11%
Brain
0%
Heart
0%
Lung
0%
Bone Marrow
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
TFF2MUC5ACCXCR4GKN2GASTMUC6CBLIF
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q03403
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.74LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF1.21 [0.84–1.74]
RankingsWhere TFF2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #5,579of 20,598
    Most Researched86
  • #16,301of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.74
Genes detectedTFF2
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Dissecting transcriptional heterogeneity in primary gastric adenocarcinoma by single cell RNA sequencing.
PMID: 32532891
Gut · 2021
1.00
2
Cellular Plasticity, Reprogramming, and Regeneration: Metaplasia in the Stomach and Beyond.
PMID: 34728185
Gastroenterology · 2022
0.90
3
The OGT-TFF2 axis mediates intrahepatic crosstalk and MASH pathogenesis.
PMID: 40587778
Hepatology · 2025
0.80
4
A CXCR4 partial agonist improves immunotherapy by targeting immunosuppressive neutrophils and cancer-driven granulopoiesis.
PMID: 40578360
Cancer Cell · 2025
0.70
5
Tff2 defines transit-amplifying pancreatic acinar progenitors that lack regenerative potential and are protective against Kras-driven carcinogenesis.
PMID: 37541213
Cell Stem Cell · 2023
0.60