BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION & MODULATION OF THYMOSIN β4 IN HUMAN SKIN.

Thymosin beta 4 (Tb4) belongs to a highly conserved, water-soluble, acidic polypeptide family of proteins1. Although it was originally identified as an actin-sequestering molecule in eukaryotic cells, Tb4 plays a critical role in dermal and corneal wound healing via multiple activities: anti-inflammatory, stimulation of keratinocyte migration, regulating MMP expression, and matrix remodeling2, 3, 4. Age-related variation in Tβ4 levels was examined in human saliva and tears and it appeared to peak at age 25-35 years5. Age-related function of Tβ4 was studied in tissue regeneration since wound healing is a problem for immobilized patients, diabetics, and the elderly6. Results showed that treatment of exogenous Tβ4  peptide was able to significantly increase the tissue repair in aged mice after the wounding6. To understand the role of Tβ4  in skin, we used a wound healing assay and demonstrated that Tβ4 plays a vital role in keratinocyte migration and wound repair. We further postulated that this wound repair property of Tβ4 could be compromised by skin aging since we found Tβ4 expression decreasing with age in vivo. We initiated a screening program in order to identify substances that can influence the expression of Tβ4 in skin cells, and potentially produce a positive impact on the visual appearance of aged skin. In this poster, we report the identification of several novel substances that increase the expression of Tβ4  in skin cells in vitro.

Anti-aging, EFT-400, Skin aging, Skin wrinkling, Thymosin b4, Wound healing

AV-5714, Botanical-Berchemia lineata, Botanical-Sapindus rarak