Interesting article on TB-500 and cartilage

[CYCLEON]

Thought I would look into TB-500 a little as I have a partial ACL tear and have considered prolotherapy and other possibilities to strengthen it back to where I can feel confident in my heavy lifts again. This is from 2002 but gives me hope that thymosin could be indeed helpful in repairing soft cartilage and strengthening what I have.


Biochem Soc Trans. 2002 Nov;30(Pt 6):879-82. Related Articles, Links

The effect of thymosin beta4 on articular cartilage chondrocyte matrix
metalloproteinase expression.

Blain EJ, Mason DJ, Duance VC.

Connective Tissue Biology Laboratories, School of Biosciences, Cardiff
University, Museum Avenue, Wales, UK. [email protected]

Mechanical loading is paramount in regulating both the anabolic and
catabolic activities of articular cartilage chondrocytes, essential for the
matrix to retain its functional integrity. We have identified thymosin
beta(4) as a putative mechanically regulated gene that may mediate
load-enhanced synthesis and activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2
and 9 in articular cartilage. The objective of this study was to confirm the
mechanical regulation of thymosin beta(4) and determine its effect on
cartilage chondrocyte MMP production. Thymosin beta(4) mRNA expression,
analysed by quantitative PCR, revealed a significant 20-fold increase in
cartilage loaded for 10 min which was still evident after 30 min of loading.
Treatment of primary chondrocytes with 2 and 4 micro x ml(-1) thymosin
beta(4) peptide for 4 h significantly increased pro-MMP 9 expression and
activation. We postulate a functional role for load-induced thymosin beta(4)
in modulating the cytoskeletal organization of articular cartilage
chondrocytes to affect MMP expression.

PMID: 12440937 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]