Thymosin alpha 1 was first isolated by Goldstein and colleagues from thymus and characterized Tα1 in 1979 as a biological response modifier with the huge immune therapeutic activity. Since, scientists start research on the effect of thymosin on host disease and disorders like neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular disease, wound healing, brain trauma, cystic fibrosis and cancer.
Structure:
Thymosin α1 (Tα1) is a polypeptide consist of 28-amino acid polypeptide and is one of the peptides isolated for the first time from the thymus of calf and its immune property has been observed both in vitro and in vivo extracts. This peptide acetylated on its N-terminus group and a sequence as Ac–Ser–Asp–Ala–Ala–Val–Asp–Thr–Ser–Ser–Glu–Ile–Thr–Thr–Lys–Asp–Leu–Lys–Glu–Lys–Lys–Glu–Val–Val–Glu–Glu–Ala–Glu–Asn–OH. Thymosin α1 is cleaved by the asparagine endopeptidase (legumain, AEP) from the N-terminus of Prothymosin α. Both Tα1and the legumain are present in different type of tissues.1
Scientific Research on Thymosin Alpha 1
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(Yueping et al., 2020) studied to know the effect of Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) for the treatment of Cocid-19 infection. They found that Tα1 treatment has significantly reduced the mortality of severe Covid-19 patients. The patients with CD8+ T cells or CD4+ less than 400/μL or 650/μL gained more benefit from Thymosin alpha. These peptides recovered helped in recovery of immunity and also helped in the recovery of T-cells during severe acute respiratory syndrome in coronavirus 2 infection. 2
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(Juan Li et., al 2010) described the genetic methods using expressions system of prokariyotes and eukariyotes to produce T1. The study was done to investigate secretions of cytokines lymphocyte proliferation. This study showed that there can be the possibility for biotechnological production of T1 for the research and clinical applications. 3
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Studies have shown that the individuals fighting with infection have lower amount of T α 1 circulation in their body and have suppressed helper T cell amount as compared to the healthy individuals. This is can be serious concern as immune function is very important in recovery from the infection. T α 1 supplementation has the potential for high therapeutic benefit for the patients looking to strengthen their immune system and those patients which are suffering from an infection or autoimmune disease. 4
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Thymosin alpha 1 is studied to know its effectivity as immunomodulatory drug. The study is done to know whether T alpha 1 improves mortality rate and immune function with severe sepsis. They concluded that T alpha therapy along with conventional medical therapies may help in treating patients with severe sepsis. 5
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Clinical studies have indicated that Thymosin Alpha-1 helps in regulation of immune system and inflammation related conditions like psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other similar conditions. 6
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More recent clinical studies have shown that this peptide is also found effective in lung, breast , colon, and other types of body cancer. 7
Applications of Thymosin Alpha 1
1. Thymosin alpha 1 can help in lowering proliferation and also help in inducing apoptosis in human leukemia, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and some other cancers. It also can help in breast cancer treatment 8
2. They enhance immune response in patients with less immunity. 9
3. It help in significant decrease in mortality rate due to multiple organ failure in patients with sepsis. 10
4. Thymosin alpha 1 can be used as an adjuvant for the treatment of HIV patients. It aids in increase CD4+ cells count. It also stimulates the function of CD4+ cells and helps in decrease of viral load. 11
5. Thymosin alpha 1 helps in increases levels of sjTREC in the patients with advanced HIV disease. 12
6. Thymosin alpha 1 improves the effectivity of the influenza vaccine 13
7. Thymosin alpha 1 found effective in patients with different types of malignancies like, head and neck cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer and the liver cancer. 14
8. Thymosin alpha also found effective against the patients having chronic hepatitis B. 15
Reference:
1National Center for Biotechnology Information (2022). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 16130571, Thymalfasin. Retrieved June 24, 2022 from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Thymalfasin.
2 Yuzhang Wu, Yongwen Chen, Thymosin Alpha 1 Reduces the Mortality of Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 by Restoration of Lymphocytopenia and Reversion of Exhausted T Cells, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 71, Issue 16, 15 October 2020, Pages 2150–2157, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa630
3. Juan Li, Chun Hui Liu, Feng Shan Wang, Thymosin alpha 1, Biological activities, applications and genetic engineering production, Peptides, Volume 31, Issue 11,2010, Pages 2151-2158,ISSN 0196-9781,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2010.07.026.
4 R. King, C. Tuthill, Chapter Seven – Immune Modulation with Thymosin Alpha 1 Treatment, Editor(s): Gerald Litwack, Vitamins and Hormones, Academic Press, Volume 102, 2016, Pages 151-178, ISSN 0083-6729, ISBN 9780128048184, https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.vh.2016.04.003.
5 Wu, J., Zhou, L., Liu, J. et al. The efficacy of thymosin alpha 1 for severe sepsis (ETASS): a multicenter, single-blind, randomized and controlled trial. Crit Care 17, R8 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/cc11932
6 Pica, F., Chimenti, M. S., Gaziano, R., Buè, C., Casalinuovo, I. A., Triggianese, P., Conigliaro, P., Di Carlo, D., Cordero, V., Adorno, G., Volpi, A., Perricone, R., & Garaci, E. (2016). Serum thymosin α 1 levels in patients with chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Clinical and experimental immunology, 186(1), 39–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/cei.12833
7 Wang, F., Yu, T., Zheng, H. et al. Thymosin Alpha1-Fc Modulates the Immune System and Down-regulates the Progression of Melanoma and Breast Cancer with a Prolonged Half-life. Sci Rep 8, 12351 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30956-y
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