Function
While Matrixyl is a widely used cosmetic peptide with evidence of stimulating extracellular matrix synthesis and reducing wrinkle appearance in skin-care formulations48, Thymosin Alpha-1 is clinically used in some countries as an immunomodulator for chronic hepatitis B/C and as an adjuvant in cancer therapy, enhancing cell-mediated immunity41487.
Mechanism
While Matrixyl works as a palmitoylated pentapeptide, Pal-Lys-Thr-Thr-Lys-Ser (Pal-KTTKS), that acts as a matrikine, signaling to dermal fibroblasts to increase production of collagen, elastin, fibronectin, and other ECM components4858, Thymosin Alpha-1 is a 28-amino-acid thymic peptide fragment of prothymosin alpha that activates dendritic cells and T cells primarily via TLR9/MyD88/NF-κB signaling, enhancing Th1 responses and NK-cell cytotoxicity414.
Length and Sequence
Matrixyl is 5 amino acids long, whereas Thymosin Alpha-1 is longer as it has a length of 28 amino acids. Matrixyl is made up of a sequence of Lysine, Threonine, Threonine, Lysine, Serine. Thymosin Alpha-1 is made up of a sequence of Serine, Aspartic acid, Alanine, Alanine, Valine, Aspartic acid, Threonine, Serine, Serine, Glutamic acid, Isoleucine, Threonine, Threonine, Lysine, Aspartic acid, Leucine, Lysine, Glutamic acid, Lysine, Lysine, Glutamic acid, Valine, Valine, Glutamic acid, Glutamic acid, Alanine, Glutamic acid, Asparagine.