thymosin and Adenocarcinoma

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Female; Humans; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental; Mice; Neoplasms, Experimental; Rats; Thymosin; Thymus Hormones

One hundred five patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer were randomized to receive thymosin fraction V immunotherapy during remission induction chemotherapy with vindesine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (VAP). Fifty-four patients received VAP alone. Fifty-one patients received VAP + thymosin. Both groups were comparable; most patients were male, with a good performance status and with the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. Among 99 evaluable patients, response was seen in 24 (2 CRs, 22 PRs) of 53 (45%) patients treated with VAP and 10 (all PRs) of 46 (22%) patients treated with VAP + thymosin (p = 0.03). VAP-treated patients responded better than those treated with VAP + thymosin in each tumor category: adenocarcinoma, 50% of 36 patients versus 22% of 27 patients; squamous cell carcinoma, 29% of 14 patients versus 21% of 13 patients; undifferentiated carcinoma, 67% of three patients versus 17% of six patients. Median survival duration was 34 weeks versus 25 weeks in favor of the VAP-treated group (p = 0.14). Thymosin treatment resulted in decreased graft-vs.-host reaction (p = 0.01) and increased suppressor effect on normal mitogen response to Con-A (p = 0.17). The activity of VAP chemotherapy is comparable with the most effective multidrug regimens of the present time in patients with advanced non-small cell tumors. The addition of thymosin immunotherapy appeared to have a negative effect on the activity of VAP.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Clinical Trials as Topic; Doxorubicin; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Immunotherapy; Leukopenia; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Middle Aged; Prednisolone; Prospective Studies; Thrombocytopenia; Thymosin; Vincristine

Thymosin beta 10 (Tβ10) is one of β-thymosin family members, has a highly conserved polar 5 kDa peptides. This peptide is now regarded to be a small actin-binding protein and thereby induce depolymerization of the intracellular F-actin networks. Alteration of Tβ10 expression may alter the balance of cell growth, cell death, cell attachment and cell migration. Tβ10 also affects cell metastasis as well as proliferation, apoptosis and vascularization of cancer cells. But function of Tβ10 appear to be rather different between cancer cells, and the molecular mechanisms of β-thymosins to regulate cell apoptosis and proliferation in NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) cell lines are unclear. In this study, we used lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, added Tβ10 or down-regulated the expression of Tβ10. We observed the change of apoptosis, proliferation and cell cyclin ability in A549 and the mechanisms underline them were also identified.. After A549 was treated with 100 ng/mL recombinant human Tβ10 or siTβ10, apoptosis rate of A549 and cell cycle distribution were detected by flow cytometry (FCM). CCK-8 assay was employed to determine the proliferation of A549. The mRNA level of P53, Caspase-3, Cyclin A and Cyclin E were determined by real-time PCR. The protein level of P53, Caspase-3, Cyclin A and Cyclin E were detected by Western blot.. Add Tβ10 can inhibit the apoptosis and prompt the proliferation of A549. It can also increase the cell rates of S-phrase and G2/M-phrase, decrease the expression of P53 and Caspase-3, but increase the expression of Cyclin A and Cyclin E. Interferance of Tβ10 can prompt the apoptosis and inhibit the proliferation of A549. It can also increase the cell rates of G0/G1-phrase, increase the expression of P53 and Caspase-3, but decrease the expression of Cyclin A and Cyclin E.. In lung cancer cell line, Tβ10 can inhibit the apoptosis by increase P53, drive cells into the S and G2/M-phase, prompt cell proliferation by increase the expression of Cyclin A and Cyclin E. Tβ10 may become a potential biomarker and therapy target for non-small cell lung cancer.. 背景与目的 胸腺素β10（thymisin β10, Tβ10）是胸腺素家族的成员之一，它的分子量在5 kDa左右，是哺乳动物体内含量最丰富的β胸腺素之一，作为一种肌动蛋白结合蛋白，它可能通过调控肌动蛋白的结构改变细胞的生长、死亡、粘附和迁移。Tβ10在肿瘤的增殖、凋亡、血管形成方面也发挥重要的作用。然而Tβ10在不同类型的肿瘤中所发挥的作用有很大差异且Tβ10对肺癌细胞增殖和凋亡的影响尚未见文献报道。本研究选择肺腺癌细胞系A549作为研究对象，通过加入Tβ10或用小干扰RNA干扰Tβ10的方法，检测肺癌细胞凋亡、增殖及细胞周期的变化，探讨Tβ10对肺癌细胞这几种生物学行为的影响及其可能的机制。方法 流式双染检测加入Tβ10或干扰Tβ10后细胞凋亡的变化，PI染色后检测细胞周期的变化，CCK-8法检测细胞增殖能力的变化，Real-time PCR及蛋白免疫印迹检测增殖、凋亡相关基因的变化。结果 加入Tβ10能抑制A549细胞的凋亡，促进细胞的增殖，增加S期和G2期/M期细胞的比率，减少Caspase-3、P53表达的同时增加Cyclin A、Cyclin E表达；干扰Tβ10能促进A549细胞的凋亡，抑制细胞的增殖，增加G0期/G1期细胞的比率，增加Caspase-3、P53表达的同时减少Cyclin A、Cyclin E表达。结论 在肺癌细胞系中Tβ10能够通过抑制P53的表达抑制细胞凋亡，能够通过上调Cyclin A、Cyclin E的表达水平，促进细胞周期进程，促进细胞的增殖。Tβ10可能成为肺癌诊断的分子标记物及治疗靶标。

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Apoptosis; Blotting, Western; Caspase 3; Cell Cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Cyclin A; Cyclin E; Flow Cytometry; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA Interference; Thymosin; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53

Thymosin β 4 (Tβ(4)) is a ubiquitous peptide that plays pivotal roles in the cytoskeletal system and in cell differentiation during embryogenesis. Recently, a role for Tβ(4) has been proposed in experimental and human carcinogenesis. This study was aimed at evaluating the correlation between Tβ(4) immunoractivity and colorectal cancer, with particular attemption to tumor cells undergoing epithelial-mesenchymal transition.. 86 intestinal biopsies were retrospectively analyzed including 76 colorectal adenocarcinomas with evident features of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and 10 samples of normal colorectal mucosa. Paraffin sections were immunostained for Tβ(4) and for E-cadherin. Total RNA was isolated from frozen specimens obtained, at surgery, from the normal colon mucosa, the deeper regions and the superficial tumor regions in four cases of colon cancer. Tβ(4) immunoreactivity was detected in the vast majority (59/76) of colon carcinomas, showing a patchy distribution, with well differentiated areas significantly more reactive than the less differentiated tumor zones. We also noted a zonal pattern in the majority of tumors, characterized by a progressive increase in immunostaining for Tβ(4) from the superficial toward the deepest tumor regions. The strongest expression for Tβ(4) was frequently detected in invading tumor cells with features of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The increase in reactivity for Tβ(4) matched with a progressive decrease in E-cadherin expression in invading cancer cells. At mRNA level, the differences in Tβ(4) expression between the surrounding colon mucosa and the tumors samples were not significant.. Our data show that Tβ(4) is expressed in the majority of colon cancers, with preferential immunoreactivity in deep tumor regions. The preferential expression of the peptide and the increase in intensity of the immunostaining at the invasion front suggests a possible link between the peptide and the process of epithelial mesenchymal transition, suggesting a role for Tβ(4) in colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Cadherins; Cell Differentiation; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Cohort Studies; Colorectal Neoplasms; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Thymosin

Human PNAS4 (hPNAS4) is a recently identified pro-apoptosis gene, which is able to induce apoptosis in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells following its overexpression. In this work, we investigated the changes of protein profile in hPNAS4-induced apoptosis in A549 cells through proteomic strategy consisting of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with MALDI-Q-TOF mass spectrometry. A total of 20 different proteins with more than 3.0-fold change in expression, including 5 up-regulated and 15 down-regulated proteins were successfully identified by database search. The mRNA transcription levels of the different proteins were further examined by RT-PCT. Functional analyses showed these different proteins are involved in diverse biological processes including metabolism, proteolysis, signal transduction, apoptosis, and redox regulation. Two essential apoptosis-associated protein, annexin A1 and prothymosin alpha, were confirmed by Western blot and showed consistent changes with proteomic detection. Our data provide molecular evidence and possible associated pathway in hPNAS4-induced apoptosis through proteomic strategy, which should be contributed to further investigation on biological function of hPNAS4.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Annexin A1; Apoptosis; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; Carbon-Nitrogen Lyases; Cell Line, Tumor; Down-Regulation; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Oxidation-Reduction; Protein Precursors; Signal Transduction; Thymosin; Up-Regulation

Prothymosin alpha (ProTalpha) is a nuclear polypeptide of great biological and, possibly clinical, importance, because its expression levels have been associated with early diagnosis/prognosis of human cancer. It is therefore interesting to raise easily available and cost-effective antibodies that would be applied to develop reliable ProTalpha immunodiagnostics. In this study, New Zealand white rabbits and laying hens were parallel immunized against intact ProTalpha or the synthetic fragments ProTalpha[1-28], ProTalpha[87-109], and ProTalpha[101-109], all conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The corresponding antibodies G and Y were immunochemically evaluated in parallel with ELISA and Western blot systems and applied to fluorescence immunocytology experiments using various cancer cell lines and normal cells. The antibody G raised against ProTalpha[101-109]/KLH had excellent functional characteristics in the Western blot and immunocytology experiments, where the fluorescent signal was almost exclusively shown in the cell nucleus independently of the cells assayed. The above antibody has been applied to preliminary IHC staining of human cancer prostate tissues, leading to a high percentage of clearly and intensively stained nuclei in the adenocarcinoma tissue; this antibody can be further used in cancer tissue immunostaining and in research concerning the role of ProTalpha in tumorigenesis.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Antibodies; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Nucleus; Cells, Cultured; Chickens; Fibroblasts; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Fluorescent Dyes; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Prostatic Neoplasms; Protein Precursors; Rabbits; Thymosin

Thymosin beta 4 (T beta 4) has been shown to be associated with tumor metastasis and angiogenesis; however, its role in pancreatic cancer has not been understood. In the current study, we examined the expression of T beta 4 in pancreatic cancer cells, and determined the effect of exogenous T beta 4 on cytokine secretion, and signal transduction in human pancreatic cancer cells.. Pancreatic cancer cell lines expressed higher amount of T beta 4 mRNA than normal human pancreatic ductal epithelium (HPDE) cells. Exogenous T beta 4 increased the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1 in Panc-1 cells. In addition, T beta 4 activated Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer cells.. The mRNA levels of T beta 4 were determined by real-time RT PCR. Phosphorylation of JNK in pancreatic cancer cells was determined using Bio-Plex phosphoprotein assay. The expression of cytokines in human pancreatic cancer cell lines was determined with Bio-Plex cytokine assay.. T beta 4 might be involved in stimulating human pancreatic cancer progression by promoting proinflammatory cytokine environment and activating JNK signaling pathway. Targeting T beta 4 and related molecules may be a novel therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Cytokines; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Inflammation; Kinetics; MAP Kinase Kinase 4; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Phosphorylation; Thymosin

We aimed to investigate the sources of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha), estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) and estimate the value of both ER subtypes in gastric adenocarcinoma and analyze the possible relationship of prothymosin alpha (ProTalpha) to ERs.. ERs at the mRNA and protein levels in matched advanced gastric adenocarcinomas and surrounding non-cancerous tissues were examined by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical (IHC) methods. Cell proliferation related protein ProTalpha was also detected in IHC. The immunoreactive signal, corresponding to the proteins expression level, was quantitatively analyzed.. Both ERalpha and ERbeta mRNAs were detected in most of the cancer and matched normal tissues analyzed. At the protein level, the percentage of ERalpha and ERbeta positive cases changed. ERalpha immunoreactivity was only detected in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and ERalpha positive expression correlated with depth of invasion of the tumors. Compared with non-cancerous tissues, gastric tumors showed decreased ERbeta expression and lost ERbeta. Altered ERbeta in gastric adenocarcinoma correlated with decreased differentiation. And the tumors involved lymph node metastasis showed significantly lower expression level of ERbeta. ProTalpha in ERbeta-positive tumors showed higher expression than that in lost ERbeta tumors.. Altered expression of ERalpha and ERbeta in tumors compared with corresponding normal gastric tissues was more common in poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas and related to malignant properties, such as lymph node metastasis. Decreased ERbeta and increased ProTalpha expression in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma indicated that ERbeta may play an anti-proliferation role which is opposed to the role of ProTalpha in gastric epithelium.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers, Tumor; Cell Differentiation; Estrogen Receptor alpha; Estrogen Receptor beta; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Protein Precursors; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Neoplasm; Severity of Illness Index; Stomach Neoplasms; Thymosin

Prothymosin-alpha and ERp57 were previously identified as markers for gastric metaplasia in a mouse model of Helicobacter-induced gastric metaplasia and neoplasia. In this paper we assess whether the expression of these putative biomarkers in humans is correlated with gastric metaplasia and adenocarcinoma and clinical outcomes.. Eight tissue microarrays, containing 749 paraffin-embedded tissue cores from 164 gastric cancer patients, were stained for prothymosin-alpha and ERp57 by horseradish peroxidase immunohistochemical techniques. The proportion of stained cells per core was quantitated using the Ariol SL-50 automated image analysis system.. Prothymosin-alpha stained a significantly higher percentage of nuclei in cancer and metastases compared with normal gastric mucosa. ERp57 staining was significantly decreased in cancer and metastases compared with both normal gastric mucosa and metaplasias. ERp57 expression also correlated with greater depth of tumor invasion and advanced stage of disease. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis determined that tumors with the highest quartile of ERp57 expression were statistically associated with longer postoperative survival. A Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that maintenance of ERp57 expression was associated with longer postoperative survival.. These results suggest that although prothymosin-alpha is overexpressed in gastric adenocarcinoma, it is not associated with alterations in survival. In contrast, loss of ERp57 expression correlated with more aggressive disease and could provide useful prognostic information for gastric cancer patients.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Biomarkers, Tumor; Down-Regulation; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Gastric Mucosa; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Metaplasia; Molecular Chaperones; Prognosis; Protein Array Analysis; Protein Disulfide-Isomerases; Protein Precursors; Retrospective Studies; Stomach; Stomach Neoplasms; Survival Rate; Thymosin

VPF/VEGF acts selectively on the vascular endothelium to enhance permeability, induce cell migration and division, and delay replicative senescence. To understand the changes in gene expression during endothelial senescence, we investigated genes that were differentially expressed in early vs. late passage (senescent) human dermal endothelial cells (HDMEC) using cDNA array hybridization. Early passage HDMEC cultured with or without VPF/VEGF overexpressed 9 and underexpressed 6 genes in comparison with their senescent counterparts. Thymosin beta-10 expression was modulated by VPF/VEGF and was strikingly down-regulated in senescent EC. The beta-thymosins are actin G-sequestering peptides that regulate actin dynamics and are overexpressed in neoplastic transformation. We have also identified senescent EC in the human aorta at sites overlying atherosclerotic plaques. These EC expressed senescence-associated neutral beta-galactosidase and, in contrast to adventitial microvessel endothelium, exhibited weak staining for thymosin beta-10. ISH performed on human malignant tumors revealed strong thymosin beta-10 expression in tumor blood vessels. This is the first report that Tbeta-10 expression is significantly reduced in senescent EC, that VPF/VEGF modulates thymosin beta-10 expression, and that EC can become senescent in vivo. The reduced expression of thymosin beta-10 may contribute to the senescent phenotype by reducing EC plasticity and thus impairing their response to migratory stimuli.

Topics: Actins; Adenocarcinoma; Aorta, Thoracic; Arteriosclerosis; Cells, Cultured; Cellular Senescence; Colonic Neoplasms; DNA, Complementary; Endothelial Growth Factors; Endothelium, Vascular; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Lymphokines; Male; Microcirculation; RNA, Messenger; Skin; Thymosin; Transcription, Genetic; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

To report the results of a pilot study on the prognostic value of a newly identified actin-binding protein, thymosin beta-15 (Tbeta15), in predicting prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and bone failure in patients with Gleason 6/10 clinically localized prostate cancer.. Thirty-two patients (median age 70 years) with clinically localized, moderately differentiated (Gleason 6/10) prostate cancer treated by external beam radiotherapy alone (68.4 Gy) with available paraffin blocks at the Massachusetts General Hospital were evaluated for this pilot study. All patients had clinical Stage M0 disease at initial presentation, which was documented by bone scan (T1c-4,NX). Their corresponding biopsy specimens were stained immunohistochemically for Tbeta15, which was then correlated with the clinical outcome in a blinded manner. The median follow-up was 6 years (range 1 to 19) for all of the patients.. The outcomes of the 32 patients can be grouped into three categories: patients with no evidence of disease (n = 11), patients with PSA failure without documented bone failure (n = 11), and patients with PSA failure and documented bone failure (n = 10). Tbeta15 staining intensity strongly correlated with clinical outcome. Of those patients whose specimens stained 3+ (strongest staining), 62% developed bone failure compared with 13% of those patients whose specimens stained 1+ (weakest staining) (P = 0.01). The 5-year freedom from PSA failure was only 25% for those patients with 3+ staining compared with 83% for those with 1+ staining (P = 0.02).. The results of this pilot study have demonstrated that Tbeta15 staining intensity may be a potentially important marker to identify high-risk patients with moderately differentiated, clinically localized prostate cancer.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bone Neoplasms; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pilot Projects; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Prostatic Neoplasms; Thymosin

Zinc exhibits inhibitory effects on apoptosis, and a deficiency in this metal generally causes this type of cell death to occur. In the present study, we found that exposure to zinc results in necrosis of prostate carcinoma cells. When zinc acetate was added to LNCaP or PC-3 cells in monolayer culture, they began to detach from the culture dishes, and viability was lost after 4-8 h. Most of the cell death was found to be due to necrosis as determined by double staining with fluorescein-isothiocyanate-labeled annexin V and ethidium bromide, and by detection of hypodiploid cells. Associated with the induction of necrosis was an increase in low molecular-mass proteins, identified by HPLC analysis to be thymosin beta10, parathymosin and GAGE in LNCaP cells, and thymosin beta4, parathymosin and metallothionein in PC-3. The time course of the increase of thymosin beta10 in LNCaP cells and thymosin beta4 in PC-3 cells was consistent with that of appearance of cell detachment and dead cells. These results indicate that zinc can induce necrosis and suggest that production of proteins including beta-thymosins is involved in induction of processes leading to cell detachment.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Annexin A5; Apoptosis; Cell Adhesion; Cell Division; Cell Survival; Copper; DNA, Neoplasm; Humans; Male; Metallothionein; Necrosis; Neoplasm Proteins; Prostatic Neoplasms; Thymosin; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Zinc

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

Thymosin alpha 1 (T alpha 1) is an immune modulatory peptide which has been evaluated in a variety of clinical trials. Although no in vivo adverse effects, including enhancement of tumor growth, have been noted, in vitro studies suggesting a role for T alpha 1 in cell growth have been reported. The studies presented in this report evaluated both exogenously added T alpha 1 and endogenously expressed T alpha 1 as factors which could either promote growth of tumor cells or induce transformation. No effect of exogenous T alpha 1 on cell growth was found. NIH-3T3 cells transfected with cDNA for the precursor ProThymosin alpha (Pro T alpha) expressed elevated levels of authentic T alpha 1 but did not demonstrate either enhanced proliferation in liquid culture or transformation as defined by the loss of contact inhibition or anchorage independent growth in soft agar. Thus these studies argue against the hypothesis that T alpha 1 is either an intracellular or extracellular growth promoter.

Topics: 3T3 Cells; Adenocarcinoma; Animals; Breast Neoplasms; Cecal Neoplasms; Cell Division; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Colonic Neoplasms; Growth Substances; Ileal Neoplasms; Mice; Protein Precursors; Thymosin; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Animals; BCG Vaccine; Bronchial Neoplasms; Colonic Neoplasms; Corynebacterium Infections; Humans; Immunotherapy; Levamisole; Melanoma; Neoplasms; Propionibacterium acnes; RNA, Neoplasm; Sheep; Thymosin

A Phase I clinical trial of thymosin administered in doses of 10 to 250 mg/M2 intramuscularly for seven days was undertaken in ten patients with disseminated malignancies and evidence of immunoincompetence. Toxicity was minimal; one patient experienced a mild urticarial rash which cleared spontaneously, two patients developed low grade fever and one patient experienced pain at the injection site. There was no evidence of systemic toxicity or parenchymal organ dysfunction. Thymosin administration was associated with an increase in the E-rosette forming capacity of the patient's lymphocytes and the development of new skin test reactivity to recall antigens in some of these patients. One objective tumor response was noted. These findings are preliminary but are encouraging for further utilization of thymosin as an immunostimulant in cancer patients with immunoincompetence.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Breast Neoplasms; Drug Eruptions; Dysgerminoma; Hodgkin Disease; Humans; Immune Adherence Reaction; Immunity, Cellular; Leiomyosarcoma; Lung Neoplasms; Lymphocytes; Melanoma; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms; Skin Tests; Thymosin; Thymus Hormones