Gastrokine 2 (GKN2)

Gastrokine-2 (GKN2) is a secretory peptide of human gastric surface mucous cells (SMCs). It forms disulfide-linked heterodimers with the trefoil factor family (TFF) peptide TFF1. Binding with TFF2 was also reported. Antral SMCs differ from those of the corpus by their TFF3 expression. GKN2 expression along the antral gland axis, to characterize the continuous regeneration of antral glands, and to investigate the interactions of GKN2 with TFF1, TFF2 and mucins. Maturation of antral SMCs occurs stepwise via trans-differentiation of TFF3 expressing progenitor cells. The TFF1-GKN2 heterodimer and TFF2 differ haracteristically by their binding to gastric mucins. This points to different physiological functions of TFF1 and TFF2, the latter maybe acting as a “link peptide” for stabilization of the gastric mucus.