The 3 members of the mammalian trefoil factor family (TFF) are expressed and secreted as cytoprotective peptides along the entire length of the normal gastrointestinal tract. More recently, they were shown to display multifunctional properties. Goblet cells of the small and large intestine constitute a major source for the synthesis of the third family member, TFF3 (formerly intestinal trefoil factor, ITF). TFF3, like the other family members, is rapidly up-regulated in response to physical wounding of the digestive tract. In addition, Tff3 was also detected in the posterior pituitary gland. Apart from this Tff3 function as a neuropeptide, also presence of Tff3 in the mouse cochlea was noted and Tff3-deficient animals display hearing impairment and accelerated presbyacusis. To elucidate Tff3’s mode of function and its unexpected contribution to the hearing process, we strived to determine Tff3’s interacting partners and to establish the functional network. To this end, we used a protein-protein binding assay based on a specific transcriptional regulation in yeast cells (the yeast-two-hybrid assay). We looked for interacting partners of Tff3 in a mouse cochlea cDNA library (from donors aged 3–15 days, P3–P15). Our data show that several binding candidates exist and that they could contribute to the known involvement of the trefoil peptides to apoptosis.

中文翻译：

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在内耳中也表达的肠三叶因子 (Tff3) 与导致细胞凋亡的肽相互作用。

哺乳动物三叶因子家族 (TFF) 的 3 个成员作为细胞保护肽沿着正常胃肠道的整个长度表达和分泌。最近，它们被证明具有多功能特性。小肠和大肠的杯状细胞是合成第三个家族成员 TFF3（以前称为肠三叶因子，ITF）的主要来源。TFF3 与其他家族成员一样，在消化道物理损伤时会迅速上调。此外，还在垂体后叶中检测到 Tff3。除了这种作为神经肽的 Tff3 功能外，还注意到小鼠耳蜗中存在 Tff3，并且 Tff3 缺陷动物表现出听力障碍和加速老花眼。为了阐明 Tff3 的功能模式及其对听力过程的意外贡献，我们努力确定 Tff3 的交互伙伴并建立功能网络。为此，我们使用了基于酵母细胞中特定转录调控的蛋白质-蛋白质结合测定（酵母-双杂交测定）。我们在小鼠耳蜗 cDNA 文库中寻找 Tff3 的相互作用伙伴（来自 3-15 天的捐赠者，P3-P15）。我们的数据表明存在几种结合候选物，并且它们可能有助于已知的三叶肽参与细胞凋亡。我们在小鼠耳蜗 cDNA 文库中寻找 Tff3 的相互作用伙伴（来自 3-15 天的捐赠者，P3-P15）。我们的数据显示存在几种结合候选物并且它们可能有助于已知的三叶肽参与细胞凋亡。我们在小鼠耳蜗 cDNA 文库中寻找 Tff3 的相互作用伙伴（来自 3-15 天的捐赠者，P3-P15）。我们的数据表明存在几种结合候选物，并且它们可能有助于已知的三叶肽参与细胞凋亡。