Thymosin β4 Identified by Transcriptomic Analysis from Hair Follicle Anagen to Telogen Promotes Proliferation of Secondary Hair Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells in Albas Cashmere Goat

The study investigated the role of Thymosin β4 (Tß4) in hair follicle growth in Albas Cashmere goats. By analyzing RNA sequencing data from the skin and dermal papilla cells of secondary hair follicles during different hair growth phases, Tß4 was identified as a gene with higher expression during the anagen phase. The researchers created cell lines with overexpressed and knocked down Tß4 to examine its effect on cell proliferation. The results showed that overexpression of Tß4 significantly increased the proliferation of dermal papilla cells, while knockdown of Tß4 decreased their proliferation. These findings suggest that Tß4 is a potential target for enhancing cashmere production, as it promotes the growth and development of hair follicle cells. The study's strength is limited by the lack of specified sample size.