Thymosin Beta-4 Recombinant Adeno-associated Virus Enhances Human Nucleus Pulposus Cell Proliferation and Reduces Cell Apoptosis and Senescence

Wang YY, Zhu QS, Wang YW, Yin RF · Chinese Medical Journal

Transfected cells kept growing to a sixth passage where untransfected cells stopped at the third, and at the third passage showed less senescence staining, fewer apoptotic cells and higher proliferation on an MTT assay, which the authors propose as a route to treating disc degeneration.

Population

Human nucleus pulposus cells from one patient with disc herniation, passaged until growth stopped

Intervention

Thymosin β4 delivered by recombinant adeno-associated virus

Comparator

Untransfected cells

Limitations

Gene transfer in culture rather than administered peptide, in cells from a single donor, with the comparisons shown as images and described as significant without numbers; no matrix or organ-level outcome, and no in-vivo follow-up published. Partially supported by a China Scholarship Council award, no conflict declared.