[Characteristics of the pineal gland and thymus relationship in aging].

Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii2011PMID: 21809618

Plain Language Summary

This review analyzed the relationship between the pineal gland and thymus during aging. Pineal peptides like Epithalamin and Epitalon were found to be more effective at slowing thymus deterioration than thymic peptides were at protecting the pineal gland, suggesting that the pineal gland plays a dominant role in the immune-endocrine aging axis.

Abstract

The review presents the interference between thymus and pineal gland during their involution. The research data of thymus peptides influence on pineal gland and pineal peptides on thymus are summarized. Analysis of these data showed that pineal peptides (Epithalamin, Epitalon) had more effective geroprotective effect on thymus involution in comparison with geroprotective effect of thymic peptides (Thymalin, Thymogen) on involution of pineal gland. The key mechanisms of pineal peptides effect on thymus dystrophy is immunoendocrine cooperation, which is realized as transcription's activation of various proteins.

Authors

Lin'kova, N S; Poliakova, V O; Kvetnoĭ, I M; Trofimov, A V; Sevost'ianova, N N