[Dynamics in changes of a1-thymosin level under irradiation of mice thymus in vivo and in vitro: relation to the antibody-antigen production of epithelial thymus reticulum].
Kuzmenok. O I OI; Beliakov. I M IM; Iarilin. A A AA; Arshinov. V Iu VIu
Key Findings
- Whole‑body and local thymus radiation both change blood thymosin‑alpha‑1 levels, but with opposite patterns.
- In cultured thymus cells, 1 Gy radiation increases thymosin‑alpha‑1 secretion, whereas higher doses reduce it.
- Local thymus irradiation (1‑10 Gy) induces auto‑antibodies against thymus cells; higher doses (15‑20 Gy) do not.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers, the findings are mostly academic and don’t provide actionable advice on using thymosin‑alpha‑1 for health or performance. They highlight that radiation exposure can alter this peptide’s levels, which may be relevant for understanding immune impacts of radiation, but there’s no protocol or dosage recommendation to apply.
Summary
The study examined how different types of radiation affect the level of thymosin‑alpha‑1, a peptide involved in immune function, in mice. Both whole‑body and targeted thymus radiation changed blood levels, but in opposite ways, and low‑dose radiation (1 Gy) boosted thymosin release from cultured thymus cells while higher doses suppressed it. Certain radiation doses also triggered auto‑antibodies against thymus cells.
Abstract
In 3- and 9-month experiments with mice, a study was made of the effect of radiation on serum alpha 1-thymosine concentration after whole-body irradiation and local exposure of the thymus at doses of 1-20 Gy. The effect of 137Cs-gamma-rays on the in vitro cultured thymus stroma cells, with respect to alpha 1-thymosine secretion, and the influence of local irradiation of the thymus of production of autoantibodies that react with epithelial thymus cells were studied. Both whole-body irradiation and local exposure of the thymus were shown to cause changes in the alpha 1-thymosine content of the blood plasma. The direction and dynamics of the changes observed are different with whole-body and local exposure. Irradiation of cultured thymus cells of mice causes alterations in alpha 1-thymosine secretion, that is, stimulation at a dose of 1 Gy and inhibition at higher doses. With respect to dose- and time-response, these changes are closer to those observed in alpha 1-thymosine concentration in mouse serum after whole-body irradiation than after local exposure of the thymus in vivo. At remote times after local irradiation of the thymus with doses of 1-10 Gy, autoantibodies are found in mouse serum that react with epithelial cells of the thymus stroma. Autoantibodies are absent at doses of 15 and 20 Gy.
Study Information
pubmed
1993