title: Effect of low-molecular-weight factors of thymus and pineal gland on life span and spontaneous tumour development in female mice of different age.
abstract: Female SHR mice, aged 3.5 or 12 months, were exposed monthly to 5-day long courses of subcutaneous injections of 0.1 mg thymus-derived or pineal gland-derived polypeptide factors (TF and PF, respectively) or 0.9% sodium chloride solution (control). PF treatment increased life span of both young and middle-aged mice by 20% and 17%, respectively, and TF increased the life span only in young mice. Both factors when administered to young mice caused a decrease in both overall tumour incidence and incidence of mammary adenocarcinomas (TF, 1.8-fold decrease; PF, 2.6-fold decrease). TF administration to mature mice did not produce any antitumour effect, whereas PF possessed certain anti-tumour activity, but the response was far less pronounced than in young animals. The results obtained give additional evidence of the geroprotective and anti-tumour effect of thymus and pineal gland-derived peptide factors. The mechanisms of action of TF and PF and perspectives of clinical use of these agents as geroprotectors are discussed.
authors.affiliation: N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, Leningrad, U.S.S.R.
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Anisimov
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Loktionov
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Khavinson
authors.forename: V G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Morozov
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000032:analysis*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; C053892:cytomedins