Thymalin

Mechanism (as reported)

A study of human hematopoietic stem cells reported that thymalin reduced expression of CD44 and CD117 and increased expression of CD28, which the authors interpreted as indirect evidence for stimulation of differentiation of CD117+ cells into mature CD28+ T lymphocytes (PMID: 33237528). Another study reported bioinformatics/docking findings and an in vitro inflammatory model suggesting that Thymalin’s active dipeptides (KE and EW) could regulate protein synthesis involved in a “cytokine storm” context, with decreased IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α production in LPS-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMID: 37686182). A THP-1 cell line study reported thymalin peptide complex inhibited TNF and IL-6 expression stimulated by LPS on terminally differentiated THP-1 cells and reduced cell adhesion in a macrophage–endothelium co-culture context (PMID: 35408963).

Key findings (each cites a source)

• A technology described in research on peptide preparations reported that the thymic preparation Thymalin’s most prominent effects were related to stimulating immunity, and that these effects were associated with anticarcinogenic and geroprotector activities (context of the peptide-preparation program) (PMID: 12374906). [PMID 12374906]
• A study reported that thymalin is a polypeptide complex isolated from the thymus and described it as regulating immune-system functions (PMID: 33237528). [PMID 33237528]
• A study of human hematopoietic stem cells reported that thymalin reduced CD44 and CD117 expression and increased CD28 expression, which the authors described as indirectly indicating stimulation of differentiation toward mature CD28+ T lymphocytes (PMID: 33237528). [PMID 33237528]
• A molecular modeling/bioinformatics and in vitro inflammation study reported docking and target/gene pathway analyses for Thymalin’s active dipeptides (EW and KE), and reported that Thymalin/EW/KE reduced IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α cytokine synthesis in LPS-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMID: 37686182). [PMID 37686182]
• A study in THP-1 monocyte/macrophage cells reported that the Thymalin® peptide complex inhibited expression of TNF and pro-inflammatory IL-6 stimulated by LPS on terminally differentiated THP-1 cells, and that peptide-treated cells reduced cell adhesion to LPS-activated endothelial cells (PMID: 35408963). [PMID 35408963]
• A clinical assessment described in an elderly cohort study reported that thymic and epiphyseal peptide bioregulators including Thymalin were associated with improvements in indices across cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, nervous systems, homeostasis, and metabolism over 6–8 years follow-up (with some regimens described as applied for the first 2–3 years), and reported mortality decreases in comparison to a control group (PMID: 12577695). [PMID 12577695]
• A clinical study reported that thymic peptide thymaline combined with psychotropic drugs in treatment-resistant schizophrenia patients was associated with elimination or amelioration of psychic disorders, activation, reduction of neuroleptic complications, and normalization of immune abnormalities in parallel with positive clinical dynamics (PMID: 2163147). [PMID 2163147]
• A comparative immunomodulatory study reported that peptide drug tinrostim and pharmacopoeia thymain increased production of pro-inflammatory (TNFα, IL-1) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in intact cells in vitro and that tinrostim’s effects were described as comparable to thymalin in this context (PMID: 24734422). [PMID 24734422]
• An experimental immunology study reported that peptide mixtures including thymalin stimulated immune response to SRBC at the site of subcutaneous injections and described mode-of-application dependence for some peptide preparations (including thymalin-containing mixtures) (PMID: 15605441). [PMID 15605441]