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IRX‐2 and Thymosin α1 (Zadaxin) Increase T Lymphocytes in T Lymphocytopenic Mice and Humans
Author(s) -
HADDEN J. W.,
VERASTEGUI E.,
HADDEN E.
Publication year - 2007
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 - 10.1196/annals.1415.032
Subject(s) - thymosin , cd8 , medicine , t lymphocyte , lymphocyte , immunology , gastroenterology , immune system
: Mouse studies showed a synergy of thymosin α1 (Tα1) and a natural cytokine mixture (IRX‐2) in increasing T lymphocyte number and responses. Clinical studies with IRX‐2 showed increases of T lymphocytes in lymphocytopenic cancer patients but relatively little effect on irradiated, lymphocytopenic patients. The present phase 1 and 2 study shows that Tα1 enhances the effect of IRX‐2 in these lymphocytopenic patients. Patients (seven) were treated with subcutaneously injected IRX‐2 (200 units IL‐2 equivalence), Tα1 (1.6 mg/day) (four patients), or the combination of IRX‐2 and Tα1 (seven patients) daily for 10 days. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (T, B, NK) and subsets (CD4, CD8) were measured at the start of treatment and on day 11. IRX‐2 and Tα1 had little or no significant effect. The combination markedly increased various lymphocyte populations (>350 cells/μL). Four patients followed for 6 weeks displayed sustained increases involving both naïve and memory T cells. Responses to persistent infections were observed in three of the four patients and no significant toxicity was observed. Tα1 and IRX‐2 synergize to increase safely T cells in lymphocytopenic patients.