Thymosin Beta 4

Boosts the Immune System

Thymosin increases the levels of white blood cells and antibodies, thus strengthening the immune system and protecting against a wide array of diseases. Its predominant form thymosin beta 4 has been shown to heighten the immune response through the following important mechanisms:

1. In human gingival fibroblasts (tissues of the gums), thymosin beta 4 suppressed the section of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 8 (IL8) and protected against programmed cell death (apoptosis) induced by tumor necrosis factor-α. [1]
2. In the human colon, thymosin beta 4 modulated the function of lymphocytes. [2]
3. In a murine model, thymosin beta 4 potently inhibited white blood cell infiltration and significantly decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. [3]
4. Thymosin beta 4 facilitates the recognition of a variety of molecular targets, thus making it easier to detect harmful microorganisms. [4]
5. Thymosin beta 4 is involved in the production of hemocytes, which are cells that play a crucial role in the immune system of invertebrates. [5]
6. Thymosin beta 4 appears to have antiviral properties. [6]
7. Thymosin beta 4 enhances the ability of antibodies to bind with antigens (toxins or other foreign substances) to easily destroy foreign invaders and remove them from the body. [7]
8. Thymosin beta 4 enhances natural killer cells’ cytotoxicity. [8]
9. Thymosin beta 4 is involved in stabilin-2-mediated engulfment of cells that trigger apoptosis. [9]
10. In patients with uremia (build-up of waste products in the kidneys), thymosin beta 4 appears to have a restorative effect on depressed lymphocyte response. [10]
11. Phase I and Phase II clinical trials with thymosin in the treatment of primary immunodeficiency diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer have shown that this hormone exerts its therapeutic benefits by maintaining immune balance and preventing thymus gland malfunction. [11]
12. A cell study found that thymosin beta 4 has antibacterial effects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. [12]

Improves Heart Health

The human heart can repair itself at a very slow pace. However, muscle and tissue damage caused by a heart attack cannot be repaired. Interestingly, numerous studies show that thymosin beta 4 could be sufficiently used to improve heart health and regenerate heart damage:

1. In mammals, thymosin beta 4 administration prevented the death of heart muscle cells, stimulated vessel growth, and activated heart stem cells to initiate regeneration. [13]
2. In patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), transplantation of heart stem cells pre-treated with thymosin beta 4 improved exercise capacity and left ventricular function. [14]
3. In patients with ischemic heart disease, a condition that affects the blood supply to the heart, thymosin beta 4 administration promoted the migration and survival of heart muscle cells. [15]
4. In rats, thymosin beta 4 reduced the levels of harmful free radicals in heart muscle cells. [16]
5. In mice, thymosin beta 4 treatment improved left ventricular function after myocardial infarction. [17]
6. In mice, thymosin beta 4 reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and promoted cardiac wound healing. [18]
7. In pigs, thymosin beta 4 appears to reduce rejection after heart transplantation. [19]
8. A cell study found that thymosin beta 4 promoted cardiac cell migration, survival, and cardiac repair. [20]

Improves Liver Health

Because of its potent regenerative properties, thymosin beta 4 has also been studied for its therapeutic effect on various liver disorders. Studies show that thymosin beta 4 exerts this effect through the following mechanisms:

1. Thymosin beta 4 suppresses the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which are the main matrix-producing cells in the process of liver fibrosis (scarring). [21]
2. Thymosin beta 4 has anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring properties which help prevent liver scarring and damage. [22-23]
3. Thymosin beta 4 stimulates liver regeneration through the promotion of liver cell migration, blood vessel formation, cell survival, and stem cell maturation. [24]
4. In patients with chronic hepatitis B combined with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), thymosin beta 4 inhibited oxidative stress and proinflammatory factors. [25]
5. Thymosin beta 4 inhibits the production of substances that cause liver scarring. [26]

Accelerates Wound Healing

Emerging evidence suggests that thymosin beta 4 is involved in a wide range of cellular responses that help accelerate wound healing:

1. In both normal and aged rodents, thymosin beta 4 increased angiogenesis (development of new blood vessels) and cell migration in damaged tissues. [27]
2. In a rat full-thickness wound model, thymosin beta 4 administration increased the formation of granulation tissues, collagen deposition, and angiogenesis. [28]
3. In diabetic mice, thymosin beta 4 improved angiogenesis by activating the VEGF/AKT pathway. [29]
4. In mice, thymosin beta 4 administration improved wound healing markers such as wound closure, granulation, and vascularization. [30]
5. In mice with bone fractures, the group treated with thymosin beta 4 (6 mg/kg) had nearly 47% less old cortical bone and had a 31% increase in new trabecular bone area/total callus area fraction compared with the group treated with saline. [31]
6. In patients with corneal wounds, the administration of thymosin beta 4 eyedrops to the affected eye 2 drops 4 times a day resulted in faster wound healing. [32-33]
7. In patients and animal models with ulcers and other types of wounds, thymosin beta 4 accelerated the rate of repair. [34-35]

Improves Eye Health

Studies show that thymosin beta 4 may help maintain eye health by protecting against injury and accelerating the eye’s regenerative process:

1. In cultured human corneal epithelial cells, thymosin beta 4 treatment significantly decreased the levels of proinflammatory substances and accelerated the wound healing process after injury. [36-37]
2. In diabetic patients, treatment with 2 drops 4 times daily of thymosin beta 4 for 4 weeks appears to heal diabetic corneal defects. [38]
3. In animals with severe traumatic corneal wound disorders, thymosin beta 4administration promoted rapid corneal wound healing and decreased the infiltration of inflammatory substances. [39]
4. In patients with moderate to severe dry eye, the administration of thymosin beta 4 ophthalmic solution significantly relieved signs and symptoms. [40]

Promotes Nerve Regeneration

Thymosin beta 4 is widely distributed in the nervous system, suggesting that it has a role in nerve protection and regeneration. Numerous studies show that thymosin beta 4 is beneficial in several types of nerve injuries:

1. In mice with brain inflammation, thymosin beta 4 improved functional recovery by reducing inflammatory infiltrates and stimulating oligodendrogenesis (formation of the protective covering of nerve cells or neurons). [41]
2. In rats with spinal cord injury, thymosin beta 4 treatment is associated with a significant decrease in proinflammatory cytokines and spinal lesions. [42]
3. In animal models, thymosin beta 4 played a crucial role in stem cell maturation and regeneration, and repair of injuries. [43]
4. In mice with multiple sclerosis, treatment with thymosin beta 4 for 30 days significantly increased the number of newly generated oligodendrocytes (cells that produce the protective covering of axons, which allow the transmission of nerve signals). [44]

Improves Brain Health

With thymosin beta 4’s role in tissue regeneration and protection, it seems logical that this powerful protein may also be beneficial in supporting brain health. Numerous studies found that thymosin beta 4 may actually help protect against stroke and other brain injuries:

1. In mice, thymosin beta 4 stimulated the regeneration and formation of new blood vessels. [45]
2. In rats with ischemic stroke (caused by a blood clot), treatment with thymosin beta 4 significantly improved neurological functional outcomes. [46-47]
3. In a rat model of ischemic stroke, thymosin beta 4 administration improves neurological functional outcomes by stimulating oligodendrogenesis. [48]
4. In patients with stroke and other neurological diseases, thymosin beta 4 treatment appears to remodel or rebuild the nervous system by stimulating self-healing processes in the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. [49]
5. In animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI,) early (6 hours post-injury) treatment with thymosin beta 4 at doses of 6 and 30 mg/kg reduces brain lesions and cell loss and improves functional recovery. [50]

Improves Lung Health

The anti-scarring properties of thymosin beta 4 may also play a role in maintaining lung health. In mice, thymosin beta 4 administration helps counter bleomycin-induced lung damage by suppressing inflammation and preventing lung scarring. [51]

Normalizes Blood Sugar Levels

Not only does thymosin beta 4 protects against nerve injury caused by diabetes, but it also helps stabilize blood sugar levels. [52] In diabetic mice, thymosin beta 4 ameliorates high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) and improves insulin resistance. [53]

Improves Blood Pressure

The ability of thymosin to train and develop T cells may also have a positive effect on blood pressure not just on immune function. In mammals, studies show that administration of thymosin induces the growth of the T cell population and thus reduces the autoimmune state, thereby reducing blood pressure. [54]

Promotes Hair Growth

The regenerative properties of thymosin beta 4 allow it to stimulate hair growth. This beneficial effect is backed by a number of studies:

1. In rats, thymosin beta 4 accelerated hair growth by stimulating the active phase of the hair follicle cycle and promoting the migration of stem cells to the base of the follicle. [55]
2. In mice, thymosin beta 4 influenced the growth of blood vessels around the hair follicle by regulating the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). [56]
3. In various rat and mouse models, thymosin beta 4 promoted hair growth by affecting follicle stem cell growth and migration. [57-62]
4. In patients with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss, thymosin beta 4 treatment for 3 months reduced the severity of the disease and induced significant hair growth. [63]