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Faa G, Messana I, Coni P, Piras M, Pichiri G, Piludu M, Iavarone F, Desiderio C, Vento G, Tirone C, Manconi B, Olianas A, Contini C, Cabras T, Castagnola M. Thymosin β 4 and β 10 Expression in Human Organs during Development: A Review. Cells 2024; 13:1115. [PMID: 38994967 PMCID: PMC11240739 DOI: 10.3390/cells13131115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes the results of a series of studies performed by our group with the aim to define the expression levels of thymosin β4 and thymosin β10 over time, starting from fetal development to different ages after birth, in different human organs and tissues. The first section describes the proteomics investigations performed on whole saliva from preterm newborns and gingival crevicular fluid, which revealed to us the importance of these acidic peptides and their multiple functions. These findings inspired us to start an in-depth investigation mainly based on immunochemistry to establish the distribution of thymosin β4 and thymosin β10 in different organs from adults and fetuses at different ages (after autopsy), and therefore to obtain suggestions on the functions of β-thymosins in health and disease. The functions of β-thymosins emerging from these studies, for instance, those performed during carcinogenesis, add significant details that could help to resolve the nowadays so-called "β-thymosin enigma", i.e., the potential molecular role played by these two pleiotropic peptides during human development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavino Faa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (G.F.); (P.C.); (M.P.); (G.P.); (C.C.)
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Irene Messana
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 00168 Roma, Italy; (I.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Pierpaolo Coni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (G.F.); (P.C.); (M.P.); (G.P.); (C.C.)
| | - Monica Piras
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (G.F.); (P.C.); (M.P.); (G.P.); (C.C.)
| | - Giuseppina Pichiri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (G.F.); (P.C.); (M.P.); (G.P.); (C.C.)
| | - Marco Piludu
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Federica Iavarone
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy;
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Claudia Desiderio
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche “Giulio Natta”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 00168 Roma, Italy; (I.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Giovanni Vento
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Neonatologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (G.V.); (C.T.)
- Divisione di Neonatologia, Dipartimento per la Salute della Donna e del Bambino, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Chiara Tirone
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Neonatologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (G.V.); (C.T.)
| | - Barbara Manconi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Sezione Biomedica, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (B.M.); (A.O.); (T.C.)
| | - Alessandra Olianas
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Sezione Biomedica, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (B.M.); (A.O.); (T.C.)
| | - Cristina Contini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (G.F.); (P.C.); (M.P.); (G.P.); (C.C.)
| | - Tiziana Cabras
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Sezione Biomedica, Università di Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, Italy; (B.M.); (A.O.); (T.C.)
| | - Massimo Castagnola
- Laboratorio di Proteomica, Centro Europeo di Ricerca sul Cervello, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Roma, Italy
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Fu W, Liao Q, Shi Y, Liu W, Ren H, Xu C, Zeng C. Transient induction of actin cytoskeletal remodeling associated with dedifferentiation, proliferation, and redifferentiation stimulates cardiac regeneration. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2537-2553. [PMID: 38828141 PMCID: PMC11143747 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The formation of new and functional cardiomyocytes requires a 3-step process: dedifferentiation, proliferation, and redifferentiation, but the critical genes required for efficient dedifferentiation, proliferation, and redifferentiation remain unknown. In our study, a circular trajectory using single-nucleus RNA sequencing of the pericentriolar material 1 positive (PCM1+) cardiomyocyte nuclei from hearts 1 and 3 days after surgery-induced myocardial infarction (MI) on postnatal Day 1 was reconstructed and demonstrated that actin remodeling contributed to the dedifferentiation, proliferation, and redifferentiation of cardiomyocytes after injury. We identified four top actin-remodeling regulators, namely Tmsb4x, Tmsb10, Dmd, and Ctnna3, which we collectively referred to as 2D2P. Transiently expressed changes of 2D2P, using a polycistronic non-integrating lentivirus driven by Tnnt2 (cardiac-specific troponin T) promoters (Tnnt2-2D2P-NIL), efficiently induced transiently proliferative activation and actin remodeling in postnatal Day 7 cardiomyocytes and adult hearts. Furthermore, the intramyocardial delivery of Tnnt2-2D2P-NIL resulted in a sustained improvement in cardiac function without ventricular dilatation, thickened septum, or fatal arrhythmia for at least 4 months. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of actin remodeling in cardiac regeneration and provides a foundation for new gene-cocktail-therapy approaches to improve cardiac repair and treat heart failure using a novel transient and cardiomyocyte-specific viral construct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Fu
- Department of Cardiology, Daping Hospital, the Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400042, China
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing 400042, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Hypertension Research, Chongqing Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Institute of Cardiology, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Qiao Liao
- Department of Cardiology, Daping Hospital, the Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400042, China
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing 400042, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Hypertension Research, Chongqing Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Institute of Cardiology, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of Cardiology, Daping Hospital, the Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400042, China
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing 400042, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Hypertension Research, Chongqing Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Institute of Cardiology, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Wujian Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Daping Hospital, the Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400042, China
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing 400042, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Hypertension Research, Chongqing Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Institute of Cardiology, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Hongmei Ren
- Department of Cardiology, Daping Hospital, the Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400042, China
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing 400042, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Hypertension Research, Chongqing Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Institute of Cardiology, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Chunmei Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Daping Hospital, the Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400042, China
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing 400042, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Hypertension Research, Chongqing Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Institute of Cardiology, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Chunyu Zeng
- Department of Cardiology, Daping Hospital, the Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400042, China
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing 400042, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Hypertension Research, Chongqing Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, Chongqing Institute of Cardiology, Chongqing 400042, China
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Chongqing College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400042, China
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Chongqing 400042, China
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Lv J, Fu Z, Zheng H, Song Q. Global research trends and emerging opportunities for integrin adhesion complexes in cardiac repair: a scientometric analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med 2024; 11:1308763. [PMID: 38699584 PMCID: PMC11063371 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1308763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Cardiac regenerative medicine has gained significant attention in recent years, and integrins are known to play a critical role in mediating cardiac development and repair, especially after an injury from the myocardial infarction (MI). Given the extensive research history and interdisciplinary nature of this field, a quantitative retrospective analysis and visualization of related topics is necessary. Materials and methods We performed a scientometric analysis of published papers on cardiac integrin adhesion complexes (IACs), including analysis of annual publications, disciplinary evolution, keyword co-occurrence, and literature co-citation. Results A total of 2,664 publications were finally included in the past 20 years. The United States is the largest contributor to the study and is leading this area of research globally. The journal Circulation Research attracts the largest number of high-quality publications. The study of IACs in cardiac repair/regenerative therapies involves multiple disciplines, particularly in materials science and developmental biology. Keywords of research frontiers were represented by Tenasin-C (2019-2023) and inflammation (2020-2023). Conclusion Integrins are topics with ongoing enthusiasm in biological development and tissue regeneration. The rapidly emerging role of matricellular proteins and non-protein components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in regulating matrix structure and function may be a further breakthrough point in the future; the emerging role of IACs and their downstream molecular signaling in cardiac repair are also of great interest, such as induction of cardiac proliferation, differentiation, maturation, and metabolism, fibroblast activation, and inflammatory modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Lv
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenyue Fu
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Haoran Zheng
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qingqiao Song
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Ying Y, Tao N, Zhang F, Wen X, Zhou M, Gao J. Thymosin β4 Regulates the Differentiation of Thymocytes by Controlling the Cytoskeletal Rearrangement and Mitochondrial Transfer of Thymus Epithelial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1088. [PMID: 38256161 PMCID: PMC10816181 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The thymus is one of the most crucial immunological organs, undergoing visible age-related shrinkage. Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) play a vital role in maintaining the normal function of the thymus, and their degeneration is the primary cause of age-induced thymic devolution. Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) serves as a significant important G-actin sequestering peptide. The objective of this study was to explore whether Tβ4 influences thymocyte differentiation by regulating the cytoskeletal rearrangement and mitochondrial transfer of TECs. A combination of H&E staining, immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, cytoskeletal immunolabeling, and mitochondrial immunolabeling were employed to observe the effects of Tβ4 on TECs' skeleton rearrangement, mitochondrial transfer, and thymocyte differentiation. The study revealed that the Tβ4 primarily regulates the formation of microfilaments and the mitochondrial transfer of TECs, along with the formation and maturation of double-negative cells (CD4-CD8-) and CD4 single-positive cells (CD3+TCRβ+CD4+CD8-) thymocytes. This study suggests that Tβ4 plays a crucial role in thymocyte differentiation by influencing the cytoskeletal rearrangement and mitochondrial transfer of TECs. These effects may be associated with Tβ4's impact on the aggregation of F-actin. This finding opens up new avenues for research in the field of immune aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jianli Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China; (Y.Y.); (N.T.); (F.Z.); (X.W.); (M.Z.)
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Tao N, Ying Y, Xu X, Sun Q, Shu Y, Hu S, Lou Z, Gao J. Th22 is the effector cell of thymosin β15-induced hair regeneration in mice. Inflamm Regen 2024; 44:3. [PMID: 38191481 PMCID: PMC10773137 DOI: 10.1186/s41232-023-00316-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thymosin beta family has a significant role in promoting hair regeneration, but which type of T cells play a key role in this process has not been deeply studied. This research aimed to find out the subtypes of T cell that play key role in hair regeneration mediated by thymosin beta 15 (Tβ15). METHODS Ready-to-use adenovirus expressing mouse Tmsb15b (thymosin beta 15 overexpression, Tβ15 OX) and lentivirus-Tβ15 short hairpin RNA (Tβ15 sh) were used to evaluate the role of Tβ15 in hair regeneration and development. The effect of Th22 cells on hair regeneration was further studied by optimized Th22-skewing condition medium and IL-22 binding protein (IL-22BP, an endogenous antagonist of IL-22, also known as IL-22RA2) in both ex vivo culture C57BL/6J mouse skin and BALB/c nude mice transplanted with thymus organoid model. RESULTS The results show that Tβ15, the homologous of Tβ4, can promote hair regeneration by increasing the proliferation activity of hair follicle cells. In addition, high-level expression of Tβ15 can not only increase the number of Th22 cells around hair follicles but also accelerate the transformation of hair follicles to maturity. Consistent with the expected results, when the IL-22BP inhibitor was used to interfere with Th22, the process of hair regeneration was blocked. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, Th22 is the key effector cell of Tβ15 inducing hair regeneration. Both Tβ15 and Th22 may be the potential drug targets for hair regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Tao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuyuan Ying
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Xie Xu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingru Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaoying Shu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiyu Hu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaohuan Lou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianli Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, People's Republic of China.
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Xu X, Tao N, Sun C, Hoffman RD, Shi D, Ying Y, Dong S, Gao J. Ligustilide prevents thymic immune senescence by regulating Thymosin β15-dependent spatial distribution of thymic epithelial cells. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 123:155216. [PMID: 38061285 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thymus is the most crucial organ connecting immunity and aging. The progressive senescence of thymic epithelial cells (TECs) leads to the involution of thymus under aging, chronic stress and other factors. Ligustilide (LIG) is a major active component of the anti-aging Chinese herbal medicine Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, but its role in preventing TEC-based thymic aging remains elusive. PURPOSE This study explored the protective role of Ligustilide in alleviating ADM (adriamycin) -induced thymic immune senescence and its underlying molecular mechanisms. METHOD The protective effect of Ligustilide on ADM-induced thymic atrophy was examined by mouse and organotypic models, and conformed by SA-β-gal staining in TECs. The abnormal spatial distribution of TECs in the senescent thymus was analyzed using H&E, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The possible mechanisms of Ligustilide in ADM-induced thymic aging were elucidated by qPCR, fluorescence labeling and Western blot. The mechanism of Ligustilide was subsequently validated through actin polymerization inhibitor, genetic engineering to regulate Thymosin β15 (Tβ15) and Tβ4 expression, molecular docking and β Thymosin-G-actin cross-linking assay. RESULTS At a 5 mg/kg dose, Ligustilide markedly ameliorated ADM-induced weight loss and limb grip weakness in mice. It also reversed thymic damage and restored positive selection impaired by ADM. In vitro, ADM disrupted thymic structure, reduced TECs number and hindered double negative (DN) T cell differentiation. Ligustilide counteracted these effects, promoted TEC proliferation and reticular differentiation, leading to an increase in CD4+ single positive (CD4SP) T cell proportion. Mechanistically, ADM diminished the microfilament quantity in immortalized TECs (iTECs), and lowered the expression of cytoskeletal marker proteins. Molecular docking and cross-linking assay revealed that Ligustilide inhibited the protein binding between G-actin and Tβ15 by inhibiting the formation of the Tβ15-G-actin complex, thus enhancing the microfilament assembly capacity in TECs. CONCLUSION This study, for the first time, reveals that Ligustilide can attenuate actin depolymerization, protects TECs from ADM-induced acute aging by inhibiting the binding of Tβ15 to G-actin, thereby improving thymic immune function. Moreover, it underscores the interesting role of Ligustilide in maintaining cytoskeletal assembly and network structure of TECs, offering a novel perspective for deeper understanding of anti thymic aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xie Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Nana Tao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Caihua Sun
- Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Robert D Hoffman
- Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90066, USA.
| | - Dongling Shi
- Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yuyuan Ying
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Shujie Dong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Jianli Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang, China; State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Macao 999078, China.
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Tao N, Xu X, Ying Y, Hu S, Sun Q, Lv G, Gao J. Thymosin α1 and Its Role in Viral Infectious Diseases: The Mechanism and Clinical Application. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28083539. [PMID: 37110771 PMCID: PMC10144173 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28083539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Thymosin α1 (Tα1) is an immunostimulatory peptide that is commonly used as an immune enhancer in viral infectious diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Tα1 can influence the functions of immune cells, such as T cells, B cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells, by interacting with various Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Generally, Tα1 can bind to TLR3/4/9 and activate downstream IRF3 and NF-κB signal pathways, thus promoting the proliferation and activation of target immune cells. Moreover, TLR2 and TLR7 are also associated with Tα1. TLR2/NF-κB, TLR2/p38MAPK, or TLR7/MyD88 signaling pathways are activated by Tα1 to promote the production of various cytokines, thereby enhancing the innate and adaptive immune responses. At present, there are many reports on the clinical application and pharmacological research of Tα1, but there is no systematic review to analyze its exact clinical efficacy in these viral infectious diseases via its modulation of immune function. This review offers an overview and discussion of the characteristics of Tα1, its immunomodulatory properties, the molecular mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects, and its clinical applications in antiviral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Tao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Xie Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yuyuan Ying
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Shiyu Hu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Qingru Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Guiyuan Lv
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Jianli Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Macao 999078, China
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