title: Trefoil factors in human milk.
abstract: We measured concentrations of the gastrointestinal protective peptides Trefoil factors in human milk. By the use of in-house ELISA we detected high amounts of TFF3, less TFF1 and virtually no TFF2 in human breast milk obtained from 46 mothers with infants born extremely preterm (24-27 wk gestation), preterm (28-37 wk gestation), and full term (38-42 wk gestation). Samples were collected during the first, second, third to fourth weeks and more than 4 wks postpartum. Median (range) TFF1 [TFF3] concentrations in human milk were 320 (30-34000) [1500 (150-27,000)] pmol/L in wk 1, 120 (30-720) [310 (50-7100)] pmol/L in wk 2, 70 (20-670) [120 (20-650)] pmol/L in wks 3 to 4, and 60 (30-2500) [80 (20-540)] pmol/L in >4 wks after delivery. The lowest concentrations of TFF1 and TFF3 were found later than 2 wks after birth. In conclusion, TFF was present in term and preterm human milk with rapidly declining concentrations during the first weeks post partum. The clinical significance of TFF present in human milk remains to be explored, both regarding development of the fetal gut and protection against necrotizing enterocolitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Aarhus, Denmark. else.marie.vestergaard@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Else Marie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Vestergaard
authors.forename: Ebba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nexo
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wendt
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guthmann
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000378:metabolism; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C051838:TFF1 protein, human; C000604007:TFF2 protein, human; C082495:TFF3 protein, human; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins