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Study · Systematic review · 2025

11 results

Thymosin alpha 1 alleviates inflammation and prevents infection in patients with severe acute pancreatitis through immune regulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tian Y, Yao J, Ma Y, Zhang P, Zhou X, Xie W, Tang W

Frontiers in immunology17 Jun 2025Cited by 1 (Europe PMC)

PMID40599771 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC12208829 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.3389/fimmu.2025.1571456 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-40599771
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Summary

BackgroundImmune and inflammatory disorders are part of the complex pathophysiological processes that exacerbate severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and subsequent infection. Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) is an important immunomodulatory agent in clinical practice, but there is a lack evidence to prove its effectiveness in improving the condition of SAP patients. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy in meta-analysis.MethodsWe systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to February 1, 2025. Randomized controlled studies comparing the efficacy of Tα1 as intervention measure with non-Tα1 in improving immune regulation for patients with SAP were included. Review Manager 5.3 was used to assess endpoints in the meta-analysis.ResultsFive randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included. The results indicated that Tα1 could increase the percentages of CD4+ cells (MD=4.53, 95%CI [3.02, 6.04], P<0.00001) and improve the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (MD=0.42, 95%CI [0.26, 0.58], P<0.00001) in SAP patients. There was no statistically significant decrease in CD8+ cells. For inflammation, lower-dose Tα1 could significantly reduce C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (mg/L) (MD=-30.12, 95%CI [-35.75, -24.49], P<0.00001), while higher-dose Tα1 showed no statistically significant difference (MD=-3.83, 95%CI [-12.14, 4.49], P=0.37). In terms of infection, the immunomodulatory therapy of Tα1 obviously reduced the overall incidence of extrapancreatic infections in SAP patients (RR=0.56, 95%CI [0.40, 0.78], P=0.0005), especially for blood (RR=0.60, 95%CI [0.38, 0.94], P=0.03) and abdominal (RR=0.38, 95%CI [0.19, 0.78], P<0.0001), while the reduction in lung infections was not statistically significant. Regarding hospital stay (days), Tα1 did not significantly reduce the time spent (MD=-4.22, 95%CI [-11.53, 3.10], P=0.26). However, Tα1 reduced the APACHE II score (MD=-1.52, 95%CI [-2.22, -0.83], P<0.0001).ConclusionTα1 can regulate the balance of immune cells and alleviate immune suppression in SAP patients, including increasing CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratios. Tα1 may exert anti-inflammatory and extrapancreatic infection-preventive effects on SAP patients and improve their condition or prognosis. More researches are needed to validate the results.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier CRD42024570517.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study11

11 results from studies that gave the peptide. 11 results from people.

  1. 01HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 increased the percentage of CD4+ cells compared with control.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 raised the share of CD4+ immune cells compared with control in pooled trials.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    IncreaseCD4+ cell percentage
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Immune response · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    MD
    4.53%
    CD4+ cells

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Tα1 could increase the percentages of CD4+ cells (MD=4.53, 95%CI [3.02, 6.04], P<0.00001)
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  2. 02HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 improved the CD4+/CD8+ ratio compared with control.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 improved the CD4+/CD8+ immune cell ratio compared with control in pooled trials.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    IncreaseCD4+/CD8+ ratio
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Immune response · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    MD
    0.42 ratio
    CD4+/CD8+

    Source sentences

    Summary
    and improve the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (MD=0.42, 95%CI [0.26, 0.58], P<0.00001) in SAP patients.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  3. 03HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 produced no statistically significant decrease in CD8+ cells.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 did not significantly lower CD8+ immune cells compared with control.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    No significant changeCD8+ cells
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Immune response · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    There was no statistically significant decrease in CD8+ cells.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  4. 04HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, lower-dose thymosin alpha‑1 significantly reduced CRP levels compared with control.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, a lower dose of thymosin alpha‑1 reduced CRP, an inflammation marker, compared with control.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseC-reactive protein (CRP), lower dose
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    lower doseAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    MD
    −30.12 mg/L
    lower-dose

    Source sentences

    Summary
    lower-dose Tα1 could significantly reduce C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (mg/L) (MD=-30.12, 95%CI [-35.75, -24.49], P<0.00001)
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  5. 05HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, higher-dose thymosin alpha‑1 showed no statistically significant difference in CRP levels compared with control.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, a higher dose of thymosin alpha‑1 did not significantly change CRP compared with control.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    No significant changeC-reactive protein (CRP), higher dose
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Inflammation markers · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    higher doseAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    MD
    −3.83 mg/L
    higher-dose

    Source sentences

    Summary
    while higher-dose Tα1 showed no statistically significant difference (MD=-3.83, 95%CI [-12.14, 4.49], P=0.37).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  6. 06HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 reduced the overall incidence of extrapancreatic infections compared with control.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 lowered infections outside the pancreas compared with control in pooled trials.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseExtrapancreatic infections, overall
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Infection and antimicrobial activity · Infection
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    RR
    0.56 ratio
    overall extrapancreatic infections

    Source sentences

    Summary
    obviously reduced the overall incidence of extrapancreatic infections in SAP patients (RR=0.56, 95%CI [0.40, 0.78], P=0.0005)
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  7. 07HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 reduced blood infections compared with control.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 lowered blood infections compared with control in pooled trials.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseBlood infections
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Infection and antimicrobial activity · Infection
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    RR
    0.6 ratio
    blood infection

    Source sentences

    Summary
    especially for blood (RR=0.60, 95%CI [0.38, 0.94], P=0.03)
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  8. 08HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 reduced abdominal infections compared with control.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 lowered abdominal infections compared with control in pooled trials.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseAbdominal infections
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Infection and antimicrobial activity · Infection
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    RR
    0.38 ratio
    abdominal infection

    Source sentences

    Summary
    abdominal (RR=0.38, 95%CI [0.19, 0.78], P<0.0001)
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  9. 09HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, the reduction in lung infections with thymosin alpha‑1 was not statistically significant.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 did not significantly lower lung infections compared with control.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    No significant changeLung infections
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Infection and antimicrobial activity · Respiratory
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    while the reduction in lung infections was not statistically significant.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  10. 10HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 did not significantly reduce hospital stay compared with control.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 did not significantly shorten hospital stay compared with control.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    No significant changeHospital stay
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Intensive care and hospital outcomes · Whole body
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    MD
    −4.22 days
    hospital stay

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Regarding hospital stay (days), Tα1 did not significantly reduce the time spent (MD=-4.22, 95%CI [-11.53, 3.10], P=0.26).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.
  11. 11HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome

    In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 reduced the APACHE II score compared with control.

    In plain wordsIn people with severe acute pancreatitis, thymosin alpha‑1 lowered the APACHE II illness severity score compared with control in pooled trials.

    Peptide
    Thymosin alpha-1
    Outcome
    DecreaseAPACHE II score
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Non-Tα1 control
    Outcome group
    Intensive care and hospital outcomes · Whole body
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    MD
    −1.52 points
    APACHE II

    Source sentences

    Summary
    However, Tα1 reduced the APACHE II score (MD=-1.52, 95%CI [-2.22, -0.83], P<0.0001).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Five randomized controlled trials comprising 706 patients with SAP were included.

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.

  1. Version 3Current

    9 Oct 2026, 18:17 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 2

    9 Oct 2026, 03:03 UTC

    Study data updated · source update from Europe PMC

  3. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:02 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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