B7-33 is a peptide derived from Relaxin, a naturally occurring hormone that is primarily involved in regulating pregnancy, cardiovascular function and tissue repair. B7-33 is a simplified version of relaxin peptide that is specifically used in research for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and tissue fibrosis. It has a similar function compared to relaxin, but is easier to produce and has fewer side effects. B7-33 exerts antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects mainly by binding to Relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1).

What are the main functions of B7-33 Relaxin?

B7-33 is a small peptide based on a natural relaxin hormone structure designed to optimize its binding capacity to the RXFP1 receptor. It has a shorter amino acid chain compared to natural relaxin, but retains the biological activity of the core.

Anti-fibrotic effect

Fibrosis is a pathological process that involves excessive fibrin synthesis in tissues and is common in a variety of diseases, such as liver cirrhosis, pulmonary fibrosis and heart disease. B7-33 Relaxin has been shown to have an antifibrotic effect in the following ways:

Inhibition of fibroblast activation: Relaxin inhibits the proliferation and activation of fibroblasts, which play a key role in the process of fibrosis. Relaxin has been found to reduce tissue fibrosis by down-regulating the expression of certain fibrosis-related genes and reducing collagen synthesis.

Promotes collagen degradation: Relaxin also promotes the degradation of collagen by enhancing the activity of collagenase, which helps improve the structure and function of fibrotic tissues. This process is essential for restoring the elasticity and function of damaged tissues.

Anti-inflammatory effect

Chronic inflammation is at the root of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. B7-33 Relaxin exerts its anti-inflammatory effects through a variety of mechanisms:

Regulate the release of inflammatory mediators: Relaxin inhibits the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). By reducing the levels of these cytokines, Relaxin helps reduce the inflammatory response of tissues.

Inhibition of immune cell activity: Relaxin has been shown to affect the function of macrophages and lymphocytes by inhibiting their activation and proliferation, thereby reducing the severity of the inflammatory response. This role has important implications for controlling the development of chronic inflammation and related diseases.

Improves heart function

B7-33 Relaxin protects the heart by promoting the health and function of heart muscle cells. Relaxin has been shown to enhance the contractility of cardiomyocytes and improve the pumping function of the heart, particularly in patients with heart failure. In addition, Relaxin may further enhance cardiac function by reducing cardiac hypertrophy and improving ventricular remodeling.

Promote vascular health

Relaxin also has a significant effect on the vascular system. It promotes vasodilation by dilating vascular smooth muscle, thereby improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure. This effect not only helps relieve high blood pressure, but also improves cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of heart disease. In addition, Relaxin may enhance the function and integrity of blood vessels by inhibiting apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells and promoting endothelial cell regeneration.

Protects the heart from ischemic damage

Relaxin has been shown to be protective in a model of cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury. It can reduce myocardial injury and necrosis caused by ischemia and improve the hemodynamic state of the heart. This property makes Relaxin potentially useful in cardiac emergency and reperfusion therapy.

What is the difference between B7-33 and Relaxin?

The main difference between B7-33 and Relaxin is their structural and functional optimization. Here's a detailed comparison of the two:

Structural differences

Relaxin: Relaxin is A complete peptide hormone consisting of two polypeptide chains (chain A and chain B) connected by disulfide bonds and belongs to the insulin family. Its structure is complex and it has many biological functions.

B7-33: B7-33 is a simplified version of the peptide derived from relaxin that preserves only one key fragment of the relaxin B chain. It consists of A single chain with the A-chain and disulfide bonds removed, which is simple in structure, but still retains key functional areas for binding to a specific receptor (RXFP1).

Functional differences

Natural relaxin: Relaxin plays a role in a variety of biological functions, including:

Regulation of the reproductive system: During pregnancy, relaxin plays a key role in regulating the relaxation of the uterine and pelvic ligaments and facilitating labor.

Cardiovascular protection: Relaxin dilates blood vessels, lowers blood pressure and helps regulate heart function.

Anti-fibrotic effect: relaxin can inhibit the overproduction of fiber tissue and reduce organ fibrosis.

B7-33: B7-33 is designed to focus on the anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of relaxin. Although it retains cardiovascular protective and anti-fibrotic functions, it does not have relaxin regulating the reproductive system or other complex biological functions. B7-33 is more specific, primarily activating the RXFP1 receptor to inhibit fibrosis and inflammatory responses.

Differences in application scenarios

Natural relaxin: mainly used in the research of reproductive health, pregnancy-related issues, and the treatment of cardiovascular disease. In addition, relaxin has been used in some experimental studies of tissue repair and anti-fibrosis.

B7-33: Due to its simplified structure, B7-33 is more focused on the treatment of fibrosis related diseases, such as cardiac fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, liver fibrosis, etc., as an anti-fibrosis therapy. It is mainly used in preclinical studies for anti-fibrosis and cardiovascular diseases.

Side effects and safety

Natural relaxin: Due to its wide range of actions, relaxin may in some cases cause side effects related to the reproductive system, especially when used in unrelated therapeutic scenarios, which may affect hormone balance.

B7-33: B7-33 is designed to reduce side effects. Its simplified structure focuses on fibrosis suppression and avoids excessive interference with the reproductive system or other complex physiological processes, so there are fewer side effects.

Production and cost

Natural relaxin: Due to its complex structure, natural relaxin is relatively difficult and costly to produce and requires synthesis by specific biotechnological means.

B7-33: The simplified structure of B7-33 makes its production simpler and lower cost, which is suitable for large-scale synthesis and use, especially in the clinical application of fibrosis.

Sum up

B7-33, a peptide derived from natural relaxin, retains the key anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of relaxin, but is more simplified in structure and more focused on anti-fibrotic and cardiovascular protection. Compared with natural relaxin, B7-33 is more specific, has fewer side effects, and is easy to produce, so it has wide application potential in the treatment of fibrosis.