The use of alpha 1 thymosin as an immunomodulator of the response against SARS-Cov2.
Espinar-Buitrago. M S MS; Tarancon-Diez. L L; Vazquez-Alejo. E E; Magro-Lopez. E E; Genebat. M M; Romero-Candau. F F; Leal. M M; Muñoz-Fernandez. M A MA
Key Findings
- Thymosin‑alpha‑1 increased activation markers (CD40, CD80, TIM‑3) on plasmacytoid dendritic cells and boosted TNF‑α production.
- When dendritic cells were pre‑treated with thymosin‑alpha‑1, T‑cells produced fewer pro‑inflammatory cytokines after exposure to SARS‑CoV‑2 peptides.
- The peptide preserved the polyfunctionality of SARS‑CoV‑2‑specific CD4+ and CD8+ T‑cells, especially in memory subsets, without age‑related differences.
Practical Outcomes
- For DIY health enthusiasts, thymosin‑alpha‑1 appears to modulate immune responses in a way that could reduce harmful inflammation while keeping T‑cell activity intact, which is promising for older adults. However, the data are only from cell‑culture experiments, so there are no dosage guidelines or safety evidence for real‑world use. Until human trials confirm these effects, it should be considered experimental and not a ready‑to‑use protocol.
Summary
The study shows that thymosin‑alpha‑1 can change how immune cells react to COVID‑19 pieces in a test‑tube, especially by tweaking dendritic cells and keeping T‑cells functional while lowering some inflammatory signals. The effect was similar in cells from younger and older people, hinting it might help older adults whose immune systems are weaker.
Abstract
Since the beginning of SARS-CoV2 pandemic, the mortality rate among elderly patients (60-90 years) has been around 50%, so age has been a determining factor of a worse COVID-19 prognosis. Associated with age, the thymic function involution and depletion plays an important role, that could be related to a dysregulated and ineffective innate and adaptive immune response against SARS-CoV2. Our study aims to further in vitro effect of human Thymosin-alpha-1 (α1Thy) treatment on the immune system in population groups with different thymic function levels in the scenario of SARS-CoV2 infection. Activation markers such as CD40, CD80 and TIM-3 were upregulated in α1Thy presence, especially in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and, with increased TNFα production was observed compared to untreated condition. Co-cultures of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells with DCs treated with α1Thy in response to SARS-CoV2 peptides showed a decrease in the cytokine production compared to the condition without α1Thy pre-treated. A decrease in CD40L activation co-receptor expression in CD8 + LTs was also observed, as well as an increase in PD1 in CD4 + TLs expression in both age groups. In fact, there are no age-related differences in the immunomodulatory effect of the hormone, and it seems that effector memory and terminally differentiated memory T lymphocyte subsets were the most actively influenced by the immunomodulatory α1Thy effect. Finally, the polyfunctionality measured in SARS-CoV2 Specific-T cells response was maintained in α1Thy presence in total and memory subpopulations CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells, despite decreased proinflammatory cytokines production. The hormone α1Thy could reduce, through the modulation of DCs, the amount of proinflammatory cytokines produced by T cells. Moreover, α1Thy improve lymphocyte functionality and could become a beneficial therapeutic alternative as an adjuvant in SARS-CoV2 treatment either in the acute phase after infection or reinfection. In addition, the effect on the T immune response means that α1Thy can be incorporated into the vaccination regimen, especially in the most immunologically vulnerable individuals such as the elderly. Thymosin alpha 1, Dendritic cells, SARS-CoV2-specific T cells response, Immunomodulation.
Study Information
pubmed
2023
2023-07-05T00:00:00.000Z
10.1186/s12979-023-00351-x
6
52