High-Fat Diet-Induced Trefoil Factor Family Member 2 (TFF2) to Counteract the Immune-Mediated Damage in Mice

Abdelaziz Ghanemi,Mayumi Yoshioka,Jonny St-Amand

doi:10.3390/ani11020258

Abstract

Simple SummaryHigh-fat (HF) diet induces both immune-mediated damage and trefoil factor family member 2 (Tff2) expression. As TFF2 has tissue repair and protection properties, this suggests that HF diet-induced Tff2 production and the resulting TFF2 mucosal protective effects would be a mechanism to counteract the HF diet-induced tissue damage. On the other hand, the induction of Tff2 by HF diet could indicate that TFF2 is a food intake regulator (appetite control) since Tff2 is also expressed in the brain. This highlights the importance of exploring TFF2-related pathways in the context of obesity management towards potential therapies.Physiological homeostasis requires a balance between the immunological functions and the resulting damage/side effects of the immunological reactions including those related to high-fat (HF) diet. Within this context, whereas HF diet, through diverse mechanisms (such as inflammation), leads to immune-mediated damage, trefoil factor family member 2 (Tff2) represents a HF diet-induced gene. On the other hand, TFF2 both promotes tissue repair and reduces inflammation. These properties are towards counteracting the immune-mediated damage resulting from the HF diet. These observations suggest that the HF diet-induction of Tff2 could be a regulatory pathway aiming to counteract the immune-mediated damage resulting from the HF diet. Interestingly, since Tff2 expression increases with HF diet and with Tff2 also expressed in the brain, we also hypothesize that TFF2 could be a HF diet-induced food intake-control signal that reduces appetite. This hypothesis fits with counteracting the immune damage since reducing the food intake will reduce the HF intake and therefore, reduces the HF diet-induced tissue damage. Such food intake signaling would be an indirect mechanism by which TFF2 promotes tissue repair as well as a pathway worth exploring for potential obesity management pharmacotherapies.

Highlights

Simple Summary: High-fat (HF) diet induces both immune-mediated damage and trefoil factor family member 2 (Tff2) expression
The molecules and signals that are either upregulated or downregulated with HF diets could be the mechanistic answer, as per the examples we provide below from studies on mice
trefoil factor family member 2 (TFF2) would be involved in mediating the protective effects against such HF diet damage

Summary

Introduction

Simple Summary: High-fat (HF) diet induces both immune-mediated damage and trefoil factor family member 2 (Tff2) expression. The importance of the studies that identified Tff2 as a gene induced by HF diets is that the control groups were, unlike in other studies, fasted mice [13,14]. Based on the HF induction of TFF2, we notice a correlation between the HF diet-induced immunological changes and the TFF2-related immunological effects and benefits (as illustrated below).

Results

Conclusion