title: Impact of the immunomodulating peptide thymosin alpha 1 on multiple myeloma and immune recovery after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by the accumulation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow and causes several immune alterations in patients. Thymosin α1 (Tα1) is a thymic peptide that has been associated with immuno-stimulating properties. In addition, this peptide exerts anti-tumor effects in several cancer types. Beneficial effects of Tα1 administration have also been shown on immune reconstitution after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a current treatment modality in hematological malignancies including MM. In this study, we observed a slight reduction in the proliferation of murine and human MM cell lines in the presence of Tα1 in vitro. However, using two immunocompetent murine MM models (5TGM1 and MOPC315.BM), we did not observe any impact of Tα1 administration on MM development in vivo. Furthermore, no beneficial effects of Tα1 treatment were observed on lymphocyte immune reconstitution after transfusion of human hematopoietic stem cells into immunodeficient mice. In conclusion, despite direct effects of Tα1 on human MM cell line proliferation in vitro, Tα1 did not exert anti-myeloma effects in vivo in the two murine models tested. Moreover, Tα1 failed to improve immune recovery in a xenogeneic HSCT model.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Hematology, GIGA-Research, University of Liège, Bat. B34, CHU of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 1, 4000, Liège, Belgium, mbinsfeld@doct.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Marilène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Binsfeld
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hannon
authors.forename: Eléonore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Otjacques
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Humblet-Baron
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baudoux
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beguin
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013947:Thymosin; D000077596:Thymalfasin