Potential Role of Thymosin-alpha1 Adjuvant Therapy for Glioblastoma.

Sungarian A, Cielo D, Sampath P, Bowling N, Moskal P, Wands JR, de la Monte SM

Journal of oncology1 Jan 2009Cited by 11 (Europe PMC)

PMID20111737PMCIDPMC2810470DOI10.1155/2009/302084PepBankPUB-20111737

Summary

Glioblastomas are high-grade, malignant CNS neoplasms that are nearly always fatal within 12 months of diagnosis. Immunotherapy using proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-2 or IL-12 may prolong survival with glioblastoma. Thymosin-alpha1 (Talpha1) is a thymic hormone and immunemodulator that increase IL-2 production and T-cell proliferation. We examined potential therapeutic effects of Talpha1 in experimental in vivo glioblastoma, and characterized Talpha1's anti-tumor effects in vitro. Rar 9L cells (10(4)) were implanted into the right frontal lobe of adult Long Evans rats that were subsequently treated with vehicle, BCNU, Talpha1, or Talpha1+BCNU from postoperative day 6. Talpha1+BCNU significantly lowered tumor burdens, and increased cure rates. In vitro experiments demonstrated that Talpha1 had no direct effect on viability or mitochondrial function, and instead, it increased expression of pro-apoptosis genes, including FasL, FasR and TNFalpha-R1 (65.89%, 44.08%, and 22.18%, resp.), and increased 9L cell sensitivity to oxidative stress. Moreover, Talpha1 enhanced 9L cell sensitivity to both Granzyme B- and BCNU-mediated killing. The findings suggest that Talpha1 enhances BCNUmediated eradication of glioblastoma in vivo, and that Talpha1 mediates its effects by activating pro-apoptosis mechanisms, rendering neoplastic cells more sensitive to oxidative stress and immune-mediated killing by Granzyme B and chemotherapeutic agents.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study10

8 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

01LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In 9L glioblastoma cells, Talpha1 had no direct effect on viability.
In plain wordsIn rat brain tumor cells, thymosin alpha‑1 alone did not change cell viability.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
No significant change9L cell viability
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma cells
Outcome group
Tumor growth · Cancer
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Talpha1 had no direct effect on viability or mitochondrial function
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173703
02LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In 9L glioblastoma cells, Talpha1 had no direct effect on mitochondrial function.
In plain wordsIn rat brain tumor cells, thymosin alpha‑1 alone did not change mitochondrial function.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
No significant change9L cell mitochondrial function
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma cells
Outcome group
Mitochondrial function · Cancer
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Talpha1 had no direct effect on viability or mitochondrial function
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173704
03LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism
In 9L glioblastoma cells, Talpha1 increased expression of the pro-apoptosis gene FasL by 65.89%.
In plain wordsIn rat brain tumor cells, thymosin alpha‑1 raised activity of a gene that promotes cell death.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
IncreaseFasL expression
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma cells
Outcome group
Receptor activity and mechanism · Cancer
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
FasL expression increase
65.89%
9L cells
Source sentences
Summary
it increased expression of pro-apoptosis genes, including FasL, FasR and TNFalpha-R1 (65.89%, 44.08%, and 22.18%, resp.)
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173705
04LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism
In 9L glioblastoma cells, Talpha1 increased expression of the pro-apoptosis gene FasR by 44.08%.
In plain wordsIn rat brain tumor cells, thymosin alpha‑1 raised activity of a gene that promotes cell death.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
IncreaseFasR expression
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma cells
Outcome group
Receptor activity and mechanism · Cancer
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
FasR expression increase
44.08%
9L cells
Source sentences
Summary
it increased expression of pro-apoptosis genes, including FasL, FasR and TNFalpha-R1 (65.89%, 44.08%, and 22.18%, resp.)
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173706
05LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism
In 9L glioblastoma cells, Talpha1 increased expression of the pro-apoptosis gene TNFalpha-R1 by 22.18%.
In plain wordsIn rat brain tumor cells, thymosin alpha‑1 raised activity of a gene that promotes cell death.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
IncreaseTNFalpha-R1 expression
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma cells
Outcome group
Receptor activity and mechanism · Cancer
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
TNFalpha-R1 expression increase
22.18%
9L cells
Source sentences
Summary
it increased expression of pro-apoptosis genes, including FasL, FasR and TNFalpha-R1 (65.89%, 44.08%, and 22.18%, resp.)
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173707
06LabIn vitro (cells)Mechanism
In 9L glioblastoma cells, Talpha1 increased sensitivity to oxidative stress.
In plain wordsIn rat brain tumor cells, thymosin alpha‑1 made the cells more sensitive to oxidative stress.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
IncreaseSensitivity to oxidative stress
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma cells
Outcome group
Oxidative stress · Cancer
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
increased 9L cell sensitivity to oxidative stress.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173708
07LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In 9L glioblastoma cells, Talpha1 enhanced sensitivity to Granzyme B-mediated killing.
In plain wordsIn rat brain tumor cells, thymosin alpha‑1 made the cells more sensitive to killing by Granzyme B.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
IncreaseSensitivity to Granzyme B-mediated killing
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma cells
Outcome group
Tumor growth · Cancer
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Moreover, Talpha1 enhanced 9L cell sensitivity to both Granzyme B- and BCNU-mediated killing.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173709
08LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement
In 9L glioblastoma cells, Talpha1 enhanced sensitivity to BCNU-mediated killing.
In plain wordsIn rat brain tumor cells, thymosin alpha‑1 made the cells more sensitive to killing by the drug BCNU.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
IncreaseSensitivity to BCNU-mediated killing
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma cells
Outcome group
Tumor growth · Cancer
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Moreover, Talpha1 enhanced 9L cell sensitivity to both Granzyme B- and BCNU-mediated killing.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173710

Studies that did not test the peptide alone2

In this study, Thymosin alpha-1 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Thymosin alpha-1.

09AnimalNot a test of Thymosin alpha-1 aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In rats with 9L glioblastoma, thymosin alpha‑1 plus BCNU significantly lowered tumor burden.
In plain wordsIn rats with brain tumors, thymosin alpha‑1 plus the drug BCNU lowered tumor size.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
DecreaseTumor burden
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma implanted in Long Evans rats
Outcome group
Tumor growth · Cancer
Source sentences
Summary
Talpha1+BCNU significantly lowered tumor burdens, and increased cure rates.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Rar 9L cells (10(4)) were implanted into the right frontal lobe of adult Long Evans rats that were subsequently treated with vehicle, BCNU, Talpha1, or Talpha1+BCNU from postoperative day 6.
In this study, Thymosin alpha-1 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Thymosin alpha-1.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173701
10AnimalNot a test of Thymosin alpha-1 aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In rats with 9L glioblastoma, thymosin alpha‑1 plus BCNU increased cure rates.
In plain wordsIn rats with brain tumors, thymosin alpha‑1 plus the drug BCNU led to more cures.
Peptide
Thymosin alpha-1
Outcome
IncreaseCure rate
Study
ratn: not reported in source
9L glioblastoma implanted in Long Evans rats
Outcome group
Tumor growth · Cancer
Source sentences
Summary
Talpha1+BCNU significantly lowered tumor burdens, and increased cure rates.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Rar 9L cells (10(4)) were implanted into the right frontal lobe of adult Long Evans rats that were subsequently treated with vehicle, BCNU, Talpha1, or Talpha1+BCNU from postoperative day 6.
In this study, Thymosin alpha-1 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Thymosin alpha-1.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2011173702

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 3Current
10 Oct 2026, 08:55 UTC
Study results updated
Version 2
9 Oct 2026, 03:03 UTC
Study data updated · source update from Europe PMC
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 03:02 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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