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Thymosin α1 and cancer: action on immune effector and tumor target cells
Author(s) -
Garaci Enrico,
Pica Francesca,
Serafino Annalucia,
Balestrieri Emanuela,
Matteucci Claudia,
Moroni Gabriella,
Sorrentino Roberta,
Zonfrillo Manuela,
Pierimarchi Pasquale,
SinibaldiVallebona Paola
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06697.x
Subject(s) - cytotoxic t cell , immune system , major histocompatibility complex , biology , cytokine , effector , antigen , immunology , t cell , cancer research , thymosin , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , in vitro , biochemistry
Since it was first identified, thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) has been characterized to have pleiotropic effects on several pathological conditions, in particular as a modulator of immune response and inflammation. Several properties exerted by Tα1 may be attributable to a direct action on lymphoid cells. Tα1 has been shown to exert an immune modulatory activity on both T cell and natural killer cell maturation and to have an effect on functions of mature lymphocytes, including stimulating cytokine production and cytotoxic T lymphocyte–mediated cytotoxic responses. In previous studies we have shown that Tα1 increases the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I surface molecules in murine and human tumor cell lines and in primary cultures of human macrophages. In the present paper, we describe preliminary data indicating that Tα1 is also capable of increasing the expression of tumor antigens in both experimental and human tumor cell lines. This effect, which is exerted at the level of the target tumor cells, represents an additional factor increasing the antitumor activity of Tα1.