Thymulin (serum thymic factor bound to zinc) is a nine-amino-acid peptide made by thymic epithelial cells that requires zinc for activity. Research is mostly older rodent and cell work, much of it from a few laboratories.
Thymulin is the nonapeptide FTS (pGlu-Ala-Lys-Ser-Gln-Gly-Gly-Ser-Asn) coupled 1:1 with zinc; the peptide alone is biologically inactive [1]. It is produced only by thymic epithelial cells, and its secretion is influenced by growth hormone, prolactin and thyroid hormones [1]. Rodent work suggests it also acts on the pituitary, affecting gonadotropin and prolactin cells; the authors describe how it does so as speculative [1][4].
| Study | Model | Reported result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thymulin neutralization and gene transfer [1] | Mouse C57BL/6 mice given anti-thymulin antibody from birth; nude mice given an adenoviral thymulin-analog gene | Antibody lowered serum LH and FSH at days 33 and 45; gene transfer restored serum thymulin and kept LH and FSH from falling after puberty. | Peer-reviewed Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2007 |
| Long-term thymulin restoration [2] | Rat Thymectomized mice and rats given one adenoviral vector carrying a synthetic thymulin-analog gene; HEK293 and BHK cells | Cells produced high thymulin bioactivity; serum thymulin, undetectable after thymectomy, stayed restored at least 110 days in mice and 130 days in rats. | Peer-reviewed Gene Ther 2006 |
| Gonadotrope cells in nude mice [3] | Mouse Athymic (nude) mice vs heterozygous controls; neonatal thymulin-gene vector vs control vector | Researchers measured serum thymulin, LH and FSH and pituitary gonadotrope cell density at days 51-52; the vector kept these closer to control values. | Peer-reviewed Histol Histopathol 2009 |
| Thymulin and prolactin cells [4] | Mouse Thymectomized rats, antibody-exposed C57BL/6 mice and gene-transfer nude mice | Anti-thymulin antibody lowered serum thymulin from 70.6 to 15 fg/ml and reduced serum prolactin and lactotrope cell density; gene transfer raised lactotrope density. | Peer-reviewed Neuroimmunomodulation 2013 |
| Thymulin-related peptide in brain inflammation [5] | Rat Conscious rats, intracerebroventricular endotoxin model; thymulin-related peptide (PAT) pretreatment | PAT reduced endotoxin-induced heat hypersensitivity and altered the rise in pro-inflammatory mediators in several brain regions. | Peer-reviewed Neuropharmacology 2011 |
Human trials are listed for research context only; outcomes are reported in the linked publications. Animal and lab results do not establish effects in humans.
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