The Overexpression of Tβ4 in the Hair Follicle Tissue of Alpas Cashmere Goats Increases Cashmere Yield and Promotes Hair Follicle Development
December 2019
in “
Animals
”
TLDR Overexpressing Tβ4 in goats' hair follicles increases cashmere production and hair follicle growth.
The study evaluated the role of Thymosin beta-4 (Tβ4) in hair follicle development and cashmere yield by establishing a flock of 15 cashmere goats that overexpressed the Tβ4 gene in their hair follicles. These Tβ4 overexpression (Tβ4-OE) goats had more secondary hair follicles and produced more cashmere compared to wild-type (WT) goats. Analysis of the skin transcriptome and proteome suggested that Tβ4 might promote hair growth by interacting with keratin type II cytoskeletal 4 epidermal (KRT4) and mediating the ERK signaling pathway, leading to increased cashmere yield.