Expression of alpha-thymosins in human tissues in normal and abnormal growth.
Radioimmunoassays specific for the N and C termini of human prothymosin alpha and the N terminus of human parathymosin alpha were employed for the measurement of the levels of alpha-thymosins in human thymus, spleen, and liver during normal growth and intestine and breast in malignant growth. A differential expression of the two alpha-thymosins was observed in thymus (prothymosin alpha-rich) and liver (parathymosin alpha-rich). A decline in the levels of both alpha-thymosins was found with age, with prothymosin alpha in thymus showing the sharpest change (15- to 30-fold). The levels of both alpha-thymosins were higher in malignant tissues as compared with healthy ones. In breast cancer, in particular, the mean increase for prothymosin alpha and parathymosin alpha was 17.9- and 11.5-fold, respectively. The major crossreactive material was characterized in all cases as intact prothymosin alpha and parathymosin alpha. These results suggest an in vivo relationship of the expression of alpha-thymosins with the human tissue cell proliferation activity.
Tsitsiloni
O E
OE
Zoological Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of Athens, Greece.
Stiakakis
J
J
Koutselinis
A
A
Gogas
J
J
Markopoulos
C
C
Yialouris
P
P
Bekris
S
S
Panoussopoulos
D
D
Kiortsis
V
V
Voelter
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002455:Cell Division; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism
D013947:Thymosin; C044498:parathymosin alpha