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Study · In vitro (cells) · 2025

10 results

Thymosin α1 alleviates pulpitis by inhibiting ferroptosis of dental pulp cells.

Wu J, Gong Q, Liu W, Chen A, Liao Z, Huang Y, Jiang W, Tong Z

International journal of oral science14 Oct 2025Cited by 6 (Europe PMC)

PMID41087337 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC12521540 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1038/s41368-025-00394-4 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-41087337
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Summary

Tooth pulpitis is a prevalent oral disorder. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of pulpitis and developing effective treatment strategies hold great significance. Ferroptosis has recently emerged as a new form of cell death, but the role of ferroptosis in pulpitis remains largely unknown. In our study, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to identify cellular heterogeneity between 3 pulpitis tissue and 3 healthy pulp tissue, and explored ferroptosis occurrence in pulpitis tissue and inflamed dental pulp cells (DPCs). In scRNA-seq, 40 231 cells (Pulpitis: 17 814; Healthy pulp: 22 417) were captured, and visualized into 12 distinct cell clusters. Differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (DE-FRGs) were almost presented in each cluster in pulpitis vs healthy pulp. ROS and Fe2+ levels significantly rose, and immunohistochemistry showed low expression of GPX4 and high expression of PTGS2 in pulpitis. In LPS-stimulated DPCs, thymosin α1 increased the expression of GPX4 and FTL, and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Fe2+ levels. In rat pulpitis models, both prothymosin α (PTMA, precursor of thymosin α1) gelatin sponge placed at the hole of pulp (LPS-P(gs)) and PTMA injection in pulp (LPS-P(i)) significantly reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and expression of PTGS2, and increased the expression of GPX4. In RNA sequencing, the expression of DE-FRGs were reversed when thymosin α1 were added in LPS-stimulated DPCs. Collectively, single-cell atlas reveals cellular heterogeneity between pulpitis and healthy pulp, and ferroptosis occurrence in pulpitis. Thymosin α1 may reduce ferroptosis in DPCs to alleviate pulpitis and thus potentially has the ability to treat pulpitis.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study10

7 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

  1. 01LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells, thymosin α1 increased GPX4 expression.

    In plain wordsIn cells, thymosin alpha‑1 raised GPX4, a protein that protects against a form of cell death.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    IncreaseGPX4 expression
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells
    Comparator
    LPS-stimulated cells
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In LPS-stimulated DPCs, thymosin α1 increased the expression of GPX4 and FTL, and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Fe2+ levels.
  2. 02LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells, thymosin α1 increased FTL expression.

    In plain wordsIn cells, thymosin alpha‑1 raised the iron-storage protein FTL.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    IncreaseFTL expression
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells
    Comparator
    LPS-stimulated cells
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In LPS-stimulated DPCs, thymosin α1 increased the expression of GPX4 and FTL, and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Fe2+ levels.
  3. 03LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells, thymosin α1 decreased TNF-α expression.

    In plain wordsIn cells, thymosin alpha‑1 lowered the inflammation signal TNF-alpha.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseTNF-α expression
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells
    Comparator
    LPS-stimulated cells
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In LPS-stimulated DPCs, thymosin α1 increased the expression of GPX4 and FTL, and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Fe2+ levels.
  4. 04LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells, thymosin α1 decreased IL-1β expression.

    In plain wordsIn cells, thymosin alpha‑1 lowered the inflammation signal IL-1 beta.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseIL-1β expression
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells
    Comparator
    LPS-stimulated cells
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In LPS-stimulated DPCs, thymosin α1 increased the expression of GPX4 and FTL, and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Fe2+ levels.
  5. 05LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells, thymosin α1 decreased IL-6 expression.

    In plain wordsIn cells, thymosin alpha‑1 lowered the inflammation signal IL-6.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseIL-6 expression
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells
    Comparator
    LPS-stimulated cells
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In LPS-stimulated DPCs, thymosin α1 increased the expression of GPX4 and FTL, and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Fe2+ levels.
  6. 06LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells, thymosin α1 decreased Fe2+ levels.

    In plain wordsIn cells, thymosin alpha‑1 lowered iron (Fe2+) levels linked to ferroptosis cell death.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseFe2+ level
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells
    Comparator
    LPS-stimulated cells
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In LPS-stimulated DPCs, thymosin α1 increased the expression of GPX4 and FTL, and decreased expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and Fe2+ levels.
  7. 07LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism

    In LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells, adding thymosin α1 reversed the expression of differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes in RNA sequencing.

    In plain wordsIn cells, thymosin alpha‑1 reversed changes in ferroptosis-related gene activity caused by LPS.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    MixedFerroptosis-related gene expression
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    LPS-stimulated dental pulp cells
    Comparator
    LPS-stimulated cells
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In RNA sequencing, the expression of DE-FRGs were reversed when thymosin α1 were added in LPS-stimulated DPCs.

Studies that did not test the peptide alone3

In this study, Thymosin alpha-1 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Thymosin alpha-1.

  1. 08AnimalNot a test of Thymosin alpha-1 aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In rats with LPS-induced pulpitis, prothymosin α (precursor of thymosin α1) by gelatin sponge or pulp injection reduced inflammatory cell infiltration.

    In plain wordsIn rats, prothymosin alpha, a precursor of thymosin alpha‑1, reduced inflammatory cells in inflamed tooth pulp.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseInflammatory cell infiltration in pulp
    Study

    ratn: not reported in source

    LPS-induced pulpitis
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In rat pulpitis models, both prothymosin α (PTMA, precursor of thymosin α1) gelatin sponge placed at the hole of pulp (LPS-P(gs)) and PTMA injection in pulp (LPS-P(i)) significantly reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and expression of PTGS2, and increased the expression of GPX4.

    In this study, Thymosin alpha-1 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Thymosin alpha-1.

  2. 09AnimalNot a test of Thymosin alpha-1 aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In rats with LPS-induced pulpitis, prothymosin α (precursor of thymosin α1) reduced PTGS2 expression.

    In plain wordsIn rats, prothymosin alpha, a precursor of thymosin alpha‑1, lowered PTGS2, a ferroptosis marker, in inflamed tooth pulp.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreasePTGS2 expression in pulp
    Study

    ratn: not reported in source

    LPS-induced pulpitis
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In rat pulpitis models, both prothymosin α (PTMA, precursor of thymosin α1) gelatin sponge placed at the hole of pulp (LPS-P(gs)) and PTMA injection in pulp (LPS-P(i)) significantly reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and expression of PTGS2, and increased the expression of GPX4.

    In this study, Thymosin alpha-1 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Thymosin alpha-1.

  3. 10AnimalNot a test of Thymosin alpha-1 aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism

    In rats with LPS-induced pulpitis, prothymosin α (precursor of thymosin α1) increased GPX4 expression.

    In plain wordsIn rats, prothymosin alpha, a precursor of thymosin alpha‑1, raised GPX4 in inflamed tooth pulp.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    IncreaseGPX4 expression in pulp
    Study

    ratn: not reported in source

    LPS-induced pulpitis
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In rat pulpitis models, both prothymosin α (PTMA, precursor of thymosin α1) gelatin sponge placed at the hole of pulp (LPS-P(gs)) and PTMA injection in pulp (LPS-P(i)) significantly reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and expression of PTGS2, and increased the expression of GPX4.

    In this study, Thymosin alpha-1 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Thymosin alpha-1.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 3Current

    10 Oct 2026, 08:19 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 2

    9 Oct 2026, 03:03 UTC

    Study data updated · source update from Europe PMC

  3. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:02 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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