title: Modulation of IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-4 production in mice of different ages by thymopentin.
abstract: The effect of an immunomodulator drug thymopentin (TP5) on the production of various cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, TNF-alpha) in mice of different ages has been studied. TP5 enhanced IL-2, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma production but reduced the IL-4 secretion by splenocytes from aged mice (greater than 120 week old) in vitro. However, it had no effect on the IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha or IL-4 production by splenocytes from young and adult mice. TP5 injected subcutaneously was able to induce high levels of IL-2 production by splenocytes from all groups of mice. The TP5 effect on TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma was similar, even though it was significant only in old mice. Furthermore, TP5 was able to significantly reduce IL-4 production in old mice, which normally produced high levels of this cytokine after mitogen stimulation. Since it has been observed in the mouse that the Th1 cells secrete IFN-gamma and IL-2, whereas the Th2 cells preferentially produce IL-3, IL-4 and IL-5, these results indicate that the immunopotentiatory activity of TP5 is due to the preferential up-regulation of Th1 cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of General Pathology, University of Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cillari
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perego
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gromo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arcoleo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dieli
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D016305:Thymopentin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016305:Thymopentin