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The Roles of Thymosin β4 in Cell Migration and Cell-to-Cell Signaling in Disease

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Actin-Binding Proteins and Disease

Part of the book series: Protein Reviews ((PRON,volume 8))

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The β-thymosins are a highly conserved family of strongly polar ~5 kDa polypeptides that are widely distributed in metazoan cells (Fig. 1). Thymosin βin4, the most abundant and best-characterized β-thymosin, binds monomeric actin in a stable 1:1 complex and acts as an actin “buffer,” preventing spontaneous polymerization but supplying high concentrations of free actin monomers for rapid filament elongation when cells are stimulated by extracellular cues. Several biological regulatory effects are attributed to Tβin4 and oxidized Tβin4. Among these are the induction of angiogenesis, tumor metastasis and the inhibition of inflammation. Correspondingly, several therapeutic applications for Tβ4 have been proposed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA

    Mira Krendel

  2. Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, 266 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Enrique M. De La Cruz

Authors
  1. Joshua K. Au
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  2. Mira Krendel
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  3. Daniel Safer
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  4. Enrique M. De La Cruz
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Muscle Research Unit Bosch Institute, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia

    Cristobal G. dos Remedios

  2. Discipline of Anatomy and Histology Bosch Institute, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia

    Deepak Chhabra

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Au, J.K., Krendel, M., Safer, D., De La Cruz, E.M. (2008). The Roles of Thymosin β4 in Cell Migration and Cell-to-Cell Signaling in Disease. In: dos Remedios, C.G., Chhabra, D. (eds) Actin-Binding Proteins and Disease. Protein Reviews, vol 8. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-71749-4_9

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