title: Thymosin effects on immunoglobulin synthesis and suppressor T cell activity in normal subjects and patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.
abstract: Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis previously have been reported to demonstrate reduced pokeweed mitogen-stimulated immunoglobulin synthesis and diminished function of suppressor T cells. To determine whether thymic hormone preparations reverse these immunologic defects in vitro, the effects of thymosin fraction 5 and thymosin alpha 1 on immunoglobulin synthesis and concanavalin A-induced suppression of immunoglobulin synthesis were investigated in normal subjects and patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. In normal subjects, no effects of thymosin were observed on unstimulated and pokeweed mitogen-stimulated immunoglobulin synthesis, nor on Con A-induced suppressor cell activity. Lymphocytes from patients with PBC synthesized less IgG and IgM than normals when stimulated by pokeweed mitogen, and this difference was enhanced by both thymosin fraction 5 and thymosin alpha 1. Con A suppression of immunoglobulin synthesis was abnormal in only one PBC subject so that thymosin effects on impaired suppressor T cell activity could not be tested.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; C033782:thymosin fraction 5; D003208:Concanavalin A; D013947:Thymosin; D000077596:Thymalfasin