Species Human Entrez 5757 | Human Mouse Ensembl ENSG00000187514 | |
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Aliases PTMA, prothymosin, alpha, TMSA External IDs HomoloGene: 136511 GeneCards: PTMA | ||
Thymosin α1 is a peptide fragment derived from prothymosin alpha, a protein that in humans is encoded by the PTMA gene.
Contents
Function
Thymosin α1 is believed to be a major component of Thymosin Fraction 5 responsible for the activity of that preparation in restoring immune function in animals lacking thymus glands. It was the first of the peptides from Thymosin Fraction 5 to be completely sequenced and synthesized. Unlike β thymosins, to which it is genetically and chemically unrelated, thymosin α1 is produced as a 28-amino acid fragment, from a longer, 113-amino acid precursor, prothymosin α. It has been found to enhance cell-mediated immunity in humans as well as experimental animals.
Therapeutic application
Thymosin α1 is now approved in 35 under developed or developing countries for the treatment of Hepatitis B and C, and it is also used to boost the immune response in the treatment of other diseases.