This review examines the relationship between aging, immune decline, and thymosin alpha-1. As people age, the thymus gland shrinks, leading to fewer immune cells, chronic inflammation, and greater vulnerability to disease. Thymosin alpha-1 can help counteract this immune aging by stimulating new T-cell production, enhancing immune cell activity, and improving vaccine responses in elderly individuals, making it a promising candidate for treating age-related immune dysfunction.
Abstract
Aging is characterized by immune decline, mainly due to thymic involution-the age-related shrinkage of the thymus gland. This leads to reduced T-cell production, chronic inflammation, and increased susceptibility to age-related diseases. Thymosin alpha-1 (Tα1), a peptide hormone produced by the thymus, exhibits potent immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It helps restore immune function by stimulating T-cell differentiation, enhancing thymic output, and modulating dendritic cell and macrophage activity. Preclinical and clinical studies show that Tα1 can improve vaccine response in the elderly and mitigate immunosenescence. The hybrid drug(a fusion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and Tα1) combines Tα1's immunomodulation with TNF's antitumor activity but has reduced toxicity. It represents a promising therapeutic approach to counteract age-related immune dysfunction and inflammation, potentially by slowing the aging process. Further research is needed to validate its long-term efficacy and safety in geriatrics.
Authors
Simonova, Maria A; Ivanov, Igor; Shoshina, Natalia S; Komyakova, Alina M; Makarov, Dmitry A; Baranovskii, Denis S; Klabukov, Ilya D; Telepenina, Kristina P; Atiakshin, Dmitrii A; Shegay, Peter V; Kaprin, Andrey D; Stepanenko, Vasiliy N