title: Peptide fragment of thymosin β4 increases hippocampal neurogenesis and facilitates spatial memory.
abstract: Although several studies have suggested the neuroprotective effect of thymosin β4 (TB4), a major actin-sequestering protein, on the central nervous system, little is understood regarding the action of N-acetyl-serylaspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP), a peptide fragment of TB4 on brain function. Here, we examined neurogenesis-stimulative effect of Ac-SDKP. Intrahippocampal infusion of Ac-SDKP facilitated the generation of new neurons in the hippocampus. Ac-SDKP-treated mouse hippocampus showed an increase in β-catenin stability with reduction of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) activity. Moreover, inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling blocked Ac-SDKP-facilitated neural proliferation. Subchronic intrahippocampal infusion of Ac-SDKP also increased spatial memory. Taken together, these data demonstrate that Ac-SDKP functions as a regulator of neural proliferation and indicate that Ac-SDKP may be a therapeutic candidate for diseases characterized by neuronal loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 604-714, Republic of Korea; Dong-A Anti-Aging Research Center, Dong-A University, Busan 604-714, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul 143-747, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: eunyimoon@sejong.ac.kr.
authors.forename: E-Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Kyung Hee East-West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Kyung Hee East-West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul 143-747, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Y-K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Mouse Resource Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Taejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: H-C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Marine Biomedical Science, Cheju National University, Jeju 690-756, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Oriental Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Kyung Hee East-West Pharmaceutical Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jhryu63@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ryu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D065852:Spatial Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D013947:Thymosin / Q000378:metabolism; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)
chemical_list: D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase; D013947:Thymosin; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4); C058504:goralatide
keywords: Ac-SDKP; GSK-3β; VEGF; neurogenesis; thymosin β4