thymalfasin and Carcinoma--Small-Cell

Using a partially purified preparation, thymosin fraction 5, we have documented that thymosin can correct many of the immunological deficiencies resulting from the lack of thymosin function in animal models and in humans. Ongoing studies indicate that there is a family of biologically active peptides within fraction 5 that act on T-cell subpopulations to maintain normal immunological reactivity. Several of these peptides have been purified to homogeneity. Two peptides, thymosin alpha 1 and beta 4, have been sequenced and chemically synthesized. Thymosin fraction 5 has been used in most clinical trials reported to date, including children with immunodeficiency disease and patients with autoimmune diseases and cancer. Most recently, the National Cancer Institute has initiated a number of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials with thymosin fraction 5 and synthetic alpha 1 as part of a new Biological Response Modifier Program. Preliminary results from two of these studies look encouraging.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Autoimmune Diseases; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Cattle; Clinical Trials as Topic; Isoelectric Focusing; Lung Neoplasms; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; Molecular Weight; Peptides; T-Lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Terminology as Topic; Thymalfasin; Thymosin

Using a partially purified preparation, thymosin fraction 5, we have documented that thymosin can correct many of the immunological deficiencies resulting from the lack of thymosin function in animal models and in humans. Ongoing studies indicate that there is a family of biologically active peptides within fraction 5 that act on T-cell subpopulations to maintain normal immunological reactivity. Several of these peptides have been purified to homogeneity. Two peptides, thymosin alpha 1 and beta 4, have been sequenced and chemically synthesized. Thymosin fraction 5 has been used in most clinical trials reported to date, including children with immunodeficiency disease and patients with autoimmune diseases and cancer. Most recently, the National Cancer Institute has initiated a number of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials with thymosin fraction 5 and synthetic alpha 1 as part of a new Biological Response Modifier Program. Preliminary results from two of these studies look encouraging.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Autoimmune Diseases; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Cattle; Clinical Trials as Topic; Isoelectric Focusing; Lung Neoplasms; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; Molecular Weight; Peptides; T-Lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Terminology as Topic; Thymalfasin; Thymosin

Prothymosin-alpha, the precursor of thymosin-alpha1, may play a role in cell proliferation, and the plasma level of thymosin-alpha1 may reflect the degree of proliferation of the tumor cells.. Recently, a new sandwich immunoradiometric assay for thymosin-alpha1 was developed using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. In this investigation, we used this assay to measure plasma and tissue level of thymosin-alpha1 in 131 lung cancer patients.. We found that the mean plasma thymosin-alpha1 levels in lung cancer patients were higher than in normal individuals (P < 0.001). However, half of the patients showed normal levels. Thymosin-alpha1 levels correlated neither with the stage nor pathological subtype of the lung cancer, and did not decrease significantly in the 4 weeks after the resection of the tumor. Thymosin-alpha1 levels of lung cancer patients with another cancer were higher than those without evidence of other cancers (P = 0.03). Survival of patients with normal levels of plasma thymosin-alpha1 was significantly better than that with higher levels (P = 0.04).. The plasma level of thymosin-alpha1 may be used as a marker for the prognosis of lung cancer patients. Further investigations are warranted to determine its role in the lung cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Large Cell; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Cell Division; Female; Humans; Immunoradiometric Assay; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Thymalfasin; Thymosin

Topics: Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Carcinoma, Small Cell; Cell Line; Humans; Immune Sera; Lung Neoplasms; Radioimmunoassay; Sensitivity and Specificity; Thymalfasin; Thymosin; Tumor Cells, Cultured