Effect of thymopentin on the production of cytokines, heat shock proteins, and NF-κB signaling proteins

In vivo effects of thymopentin, an active fragment of the naturally occurring thymic hormone thymopoietin, on the production of cytokines, nitric oxide, heat shock proteins, and signal proteins NF-kappaB, phNF-kappaB, and IkappaB-alpha in lymphoid cells of male NMRI mice was studied. Activation of production of several cytokines (IL-1alpha, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-gamma), nitric oxide, and heat shock proteins (HSP70 and HSP90) was observed in peritoneal macrophages and spleen lymphocytes of mice that received intraperitoneal injections of thymopentin (15 microg per 100 g body weight). Thymopentin apparently produces stress-like rather than damaging effects. A probable action mechanism of this hormone is activation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway, which is most pronounced at the NF-kappaA phosphorylation stage.