Role of Thymosin Beta 4 in Hair Growth
April 2016
in “
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
”
TLDR Thymosin beta 4 may help hair growth and could be a treatment for hair issues.
The study investigated the role of thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) in hair growth using mouse models and found that Tβ4 influenced hair growth, hair shaft number, and hair follicle structure. In Tβ4 over-expressing mice, there was an increase in mRNA and protein expression of MMP-2 and VEGF, while E-cadherin levels remained unchanged. Conversely, Tβ4 knockout mice showed decreased MMP-2 and VEGF levels. The study suggested that Tβ4 might regulate VEGF and MMP-2 through the Wnt/β-catenin/Lef-1 signaling pathway, affecting blood vessel growth around hair follicles and cell migration. Tβ4 was proposed as a potential treatment for hair growth issues, warranting further research.