Immunochemical studies on thymosin: radioimmunoassay of thymosin beta 4.
Naylor. P H PH; McClure. J E JE; Spangelo. B L BL; Low. T L TL; Goldstein. A L AL
Key Findings
- A radioimmunoassay can reliably detect thymosin‑beta‑4 in serum at nanogram levels
- Human serum contains two cross‑reactive thymosin‑beta‑4 species
- Serum thymosin‑beta‑4 concentrations range from 450‑1100 ng/ml and decrease with age
Practical Outcomes
- Knowing normal thymosin‑beta‑4 levels lets biohackers track this peptide as a potential aging biomarker. While the study doesn’t give dosing advice, it suggests that measuring changes over time could help evaluate interventions aimed at maintaining or boosting thymosin‑beta‑4 levels.
Summary
Scientists created a sensitive blood test that can measure the natural peptide thymosin‑beta‑4, which is found in the bloodstream at about 450‑1100 ng/ml and tends to drop as people get older. The test is accurate and doesn’t get confused by other proteins, and it shows there are two slightly different forms of the peptide in blood.
Abstract
Thymosin beta 4, a peptide with hormonal-like properties first isolated from the thymus gland, can be measured in serum using a newly described radioimmunoassay. The radioimmunoassay utilizes an antibody raised in rabbits against synthetic thymosin beta 4 conjugated by glutaraldehyde to keyhole limpet hemocyanin. A 125I-tyrosine-C13 analogue of the biologically active C-terminal fragment is used as the radioactive tracer. The radioimmunoassay is sensitive in the nanogram range and no cross-reactivity with common serum proteins is demonstrable. High performance liquid chromatography of serum samples indicates that two thymosin beta 4 cross-reactive species are present in human serum. Levels in serum range from 450 to 1100 ng/ml and decline with age.
Study Information
pubmed
1984
1984-02-01T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/0162-3109(84)90003-1
75
8