title: Thymosin α1 and cancer: action on immune effector and tumor target cells.
abstract: Since it was first identified, thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) has been characterized to have pleiotropic effects on several pathological conditions, in particular as a modulator of immune response and inflammation. Several properties exerted by Tα1 may be attributable to a direct action on lymphoid cells. Tα1 has been shown to exert an immune modulatory activity on both T cell and natural killer cell maturation and to have an effect on functions of mature lymphocytes, including stimulating cytokine production and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxic responses. In previous studies we have shown that Tα1 increases the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I surface molecules in murine and human tumor cell lines and in primary cultures of human macrophages. In the present paper, we describe preliminary data indicating that Tα1 is also capable of increasing the expression of tumor antigens in both experimental and human tumor cell lines. This effect, which is exerted at the level of the target tumor cells, represents an additional factor increasing the antitumor activity of Tα1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Garaci
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pica
authors.forename: Annalucia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serafino
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balestrieri
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matteucci
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moroni
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zonfrillo
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pierimarchi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sinibaldi-Vallebona
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D013947:Thymosin; D000077596:Thymalfasin