title: Overview of thymosin activity.
abstract: Our current research program centers around the biologic and chemical characterization of the family of polypeptides present in thymosin fraction 5. A system of nomenclature has been developed and the peptides are being systematically isolated and chemically characterized. Thymosin fraction 5 and its component parts influence a variety of lymphocyte properties including cyclic nucleotide levels, migration inhibitory factor production, T-dependent antibody production, and expression of certain surface markers. Thymosin is being used in clinical trials to investigate its effects on immunodeficiency diseases, malignant diseases, and autoimmune diseases.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D013947:Thymosin / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013951:Thymus Hormones; D013947:Thymosin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP