Ershler W B, Coe C L, Laughlin N, Klopp R G, Gravenstein S, Roecker E B, Schultz K T
Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
J Gerontol. 1988 Sep;43(5):B142-6. doi: 10.1093/geronj/43.5.b142.
Thymic hormone production declines with age, and recent strategies for enhancing immune function in elderly people include the administration of various thymic preparations. In an effort to develop an animal model for such therapeutic intervention, the current study was undertaken. Fourteen female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), aged 18-25 years, received a 7-day course of either Thymosin Alpha One (TA1) or placebo, and in vitro and in vivo immunologic analyses were performed. The relative percentage of T-cells and T-cell subsets declined during treatment in both TA1 and placebo groups. Nevertheless, mitogen-induced proliferation and NK-cell function were increased in most monkeys that received TA1, a trend that was apparent but not statistically significant. The antibody response to tetanus toxoid vaccine was not greater in the TA1 treatment group when compared to the placebo group. These findings suggest that TA1 can be safely administered to old monkeys and that such treatment, if undertaken in a larger or more sustained trial, may be associated with demonstrable biologic activity. Further studies are warranted to determine the potential for this or similar agents to reduce the consequences of age-associated immune deficiency.
胸腺激素的分泌会随着年龄的增长而减少，最近一些旨在增强老年人免疫功能的策略包括使用各种胸腺制剂。为了开发针对这种治疗干预的动物模型，我们开展了本研究。十四只年龄在18至25岁之间的雌性恒河猴接受了为期7天的胸腺素α1（TA1）或安慰剂治疗，并进行了体外和体内免疫分析。在TA1组和安慰剂组的治疗过程中，T细胞及其亚群的相对百分比均有所下降。然而，在大多数接受TA1治疗的猴子中，有丝分裂原诱导的增殖和自然杀伤细胞（NK细胞）功能增强，这一趋势虽明显但无统计学意义。与安慰剂组相比，TA1治疗组对破伤风类毒素疫苗的抗体反应并无增强。这些发现表明，TA1可以安全地给予老年猴子，并且如果在更大规模或更持续的试验中进行这种治疗，可能会有明显的生物学活性。有必要进一步研究这种或类似药物减轻与年龄相关的免疫缺陷后果的潜力。
