Neuroprotective Effects of Thymosin β_4 in Experimental Models of Excitotoxicity

摘要

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible neuroprotective effects of thymosin β_4 in different models of excitotoxicity. The application of thymosin β_4 significantly attenuated glutamate-induced toxicity both in primary cultures of cortical neurons and in rat hippocam-pal slices. In in vivo experiments, the intracerebroventricular administration of thymosin β_4 significantly reduced hippocampal neuronal loss induced by kainic acid. These results show that thymosin β_4 induced a protective effect in models of excitotoxicity. The mechanisms underlying such an effect, as well as the real neuroprotective potential of thymosin β_4, are worthy of further investigations.