title: Differential regional and cellular distribution of TFF3 peptide in the human brain.
abstract: TFF3 is a member of the trefoil factor family (TFF) predominantly secreted by mucous epithelia. Minute amounts are also expressed in the immune system and the brain. In the latter, particularly the hypothalamo-pituitary axis has been investigated in detail in the past. Functionally, cerebral TFF3 has been reported to be involved in several processes such as fear, depression, learning and object recognition, and opiate addiction. Furthermore, TFF3 has been linked with neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and alcoholism). Here, using immunohistochemistry, a systematic survey of the TFF3 localization in the adult human brain is presented focusing on extrahypothalamic brain areas. In addition, the distribution of TFF3 in the developing human brain is described. Taken together, neurons were identified as the predominant cell type to express TFF3, but to different extent; TFF3 was particularly enriched in various midbrain and brain stem nuclei. Besides, TFF3 immunostaining staining was observed in oligodendroglia and the choroid plexus epithelium. The wide cerebral distribution should help to explain its multiple effects in the CNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany, Hans-Gert.Bernstein@med.ovgu.de.
authors.forename: Hans-Gert
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dobrowolny
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Trübner
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bogerts
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002831:Choroid Plexus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D015870:Gene Expression; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3; D066127:White Matter / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; C082495:TFF3 protein, human; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3