Thymosin beta 4 regulation of actin in sepsis.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2018

Publication Title

Expert opinion on biological therapy

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis is the dysregulated host response to an infection resulting in life-threatening organ damage. Thymosin Beta 4 is an actin binding protein that inhibits the polymerization of G-actin into F-actin and improves mortality when administered intravenously to septic rats. Thymosin Beta 4 decreases inflammatory mediators, lowers reactive oxygen species, up-regulates anti-oxidative enzymes, anti-inflammatory genes, and anti-apoptotic enzymes making it an interesting protein to study in sepsis.

AREAS COVERED: The authors summarize the current knowledge of actin and Thymosin Beta 4 as it relates to sepsis via a comprehensive literature search.

EXPERT OPINION: Sepsis results in measurable levels of F-actin in the circulation as well as a decreased concentration of Thymosin Beta 4. It is speculated that F-actinemia contributes to microcirculatory perturbations present in patients with sepsis by disturbing laminar flow. Given that Thymosin Beta 4 inhibits the polymerization of F-actin, it is possible that Thymosin Beta 4 decreases mortality in sepsis via the regulation of actin as well as its other anti-inflammatory properties and should be further pursued as a clinical trial in humans with sepsis.

Medical Subject Headings

Actins; Animals; Humans; Microcirculation; Oxidation-Reduction; Rats; Reactive Oxygen Species; Sepsis; Thymosin

PubMed ID

29508629

Volume

18

Issue

sup1

First Page

193

Last Page

197

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