The role of thymosin-?4 in kidney disease

Therapies which modulate inflammation and fibrosis have the potential to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with chronic kidney disease. A promising avenue may be manipulating thymosin-?4, a naturally-occurring peptide which is the major G-actin sequestering protein in mammalian cells and a regulator of inflammation and fibrosis. Thymosin-?4 is already being tested in clinical trials for heart disease and wound healing. In this editorial, we outline the evidence that thymosin-?4 may also have therapeutic benefit in chronic kidney disease.