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25 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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TFF3
trefoil factor 3
Chromosome 21 · 21q22.3
NCBI Gene: 7033Ensembl: ENSG00000160180.18HGNC: HGNC:11757UniProt: Q07654
180PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
identical protein bindingprotein bindingextracellular regionGO:0005615alcohol drinkingneoplasmcolorectal carcinomabreast cancer
✦AI Summary

TFF3 (trefoil factor 3) is a secreted peptide primarily involved in maintenance and repair of gastrointestinal epithelium, functioning as a motogen that promotes epithelial cell mobility during healing processes 1. In the intestine, TFF3 works through CD147 receptor binding to activate STAT3 signaling and induce PTGS2 expression, leading to prostaglandin E2 production that facilitates mucosal restitution 1. TFF3 is co-expressed with MUC2 in goblet cells and serves as a marker of goblet cell differentiation in colorectal tissue 2. Beyond the gastrointestinal tract, TFF3 is expressed in tracheobronchial airways 3 and widely distributed in the central nervous system, particularly in hypothalamic oxytocin-producing neurons and midbrain nuclei, where it modulates fear, depression, learning, and addiction-related processes 45. TFF3 expression is transcriptionally regulated by the Sp1 transcription factor 6. Clinically, elevated TFF3 in colorectal cancer predicts worse prognosis and promotes tumor progression through CD147-mediated signaling 1. Additionally, TFF3 associates with endometrial and breast cancers with adverse outcomes, though shows better prognosis in ovarian cancer 7. Cathelicidin-regulated TFF3 secretion from goblet cells is essential for mucosal defense against pathogens 8.

Sources cited
1
TFF3 binds CD147 receptor to activate STAT3 and PTGS2, promoting mucosal restitution and CRC progression
PMID: 34262017
2
TFF3 is co-expressed with MUC2 in goblet cells and serves as a differentiation marker in colorectal cancers
PMID: 39401352
3
TFF3 is differentially expressed in tracheobronchial airways
PMID: 32726565
4
TFF3 is widely distributed in the human brain, particularly in midbrain and brainstem nuclei, involved in fear, depression, learning, and addiction
PMID: 25691144
5
TFF3 is co-localized with oxytocin in hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei
PMID: 10834934
6
Sp1 transcription factor regulates TFF3 gene promoter activity
PMID: 24743382
7
TFF3 elevation associates with worse prognosis in endometrial and breast cancers, but better prognosis in ovarian cancer
PMID: 31818115
8
Cathelicidin regulates TFF3 secretion from goblet cells through ROS-dependent mechanism for mucosal defense
PMID: 40735968
Disease Associationsⓘ20
alcohol drinkingOpen Targets
0.34Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.11Weak
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.11Weak
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.11Weak
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
gastric cancerOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
breast carcinomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
Barrett's esophagusOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
colorectal cancerOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
obstructive sleep apneaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
chronic kidney diseaseOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
prostate cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
retinoblastomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
lung cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
posterior cortical atrophyOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
inflammatory bowel diseaseOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
papillary thyroid carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
pachyonychia congenitaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
thyroid cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
cervical cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
FCGBPProtein interaction94%ZNF185Protein interaction92%AGR2Protein interaction85%MUC5ACProtein interaction79%LINGO2Protein interaction74%HAVCR1Protein interaction72%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Lung
25%
Brain
23%
Heart
12%
Ovary
12%
Liver
8%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
TFF3FCGBPZNF185AGR2MUC5ACLINGO2HAVCR1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB6V1C · 1.55 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.20LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.04Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.61 [0.33–1.20]
RankingsWhere TFF3 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #2,423of 20,598
    Most Researched180 · top quartile
  • #12,612of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.20
Genes detectedTFF3
Sources retrieved25 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
25▼
1
A Single-Cell Atlas of the Human Healthy Airways.
PMID: 32726565
Am J Respir Crit Care Med · 2020
1.00
2
CD147 receptor is essential for TFF3-mediated signaling regulating colorectal cancer progression.
PMID: 34262017
Signal Transduct Target Ther · 2021
0.90
3
Trefoil peptides.
PMID: 10323896
Gut · 1999
0.80
4
Signal transduction and gene transcription induced by TFF3 in oral keratinocytes.
PMID: 19758246
Eur J Oral Sci · 2009
0.76
5
Goblet cell differentiation subgroups in colorectal cancer.
PMID: 39401352
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2024
0.70