Thymosin β4 induces folding of the developing optic tectum in the chicken (Gallus domesticus)

Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a highly conserved G-actin binding polypeptide with multiple intra- and extracellular functions. While stem-cell activation as well as promotion of cell survival and migration by Tβ4 have been investigated in various in vitro and in vivo studies, there are few data on the implications of Tβ4 in brain development. In the present study we analyzed Tβ4 expression in the developing optic tectum of the chicken (Gallus domesticus) and performed in ovo retroviral transduction and plasmid electroporation for overexpression and knockdown of Tβ4. We found marked Tβ4 expression in the tectal plate and in all neuronal layers of later developmental stages, but not in the ventricular zone where neural stem cells reside and divide. Knockdown of Tβ4 inhibited growth of Tβ4-depleted hemispheres, whereas overexpression of Tβ4 led to the production of neuroepithelial folds resembling gyri and sulci, which are not normally present in avian brains. The mechanism yielding enhanced growth of Tβ4 overexpressing hemispheres involved enhanced proliferation, thus indicating an impact of Tβ4 on the neural stem cell and/or progenitor cell population. In summary, we found that due to its effects on proliferation, Tβ4 expression has a large impact on neuroepithelial and macroscopic brain development.