APPEARANCE OF THYMOSIN-ALPHA-1 IN SUPERNATANTS OF MONOCYTES INCUBATED WITH PROTHYMOSIN-ALPHA

Prothymosin α, a polypeptide of 109 to 111 amino acid residues, contains the entire thymosin α1 sequence (residues 1-28) at its amino terminal. Human peripheral blood monocytes incubated with prothymosin α release thymosin α1 in the culture supernatants. In addition total RNA is found to increase. The production of thymosin α1 involves de novo protein synthesis as shown by the kinetics of this release and its inhibition by actinomycin D and cycloheximide. Thymosin α1 release, possibly in association with HLA-DR, stimulates the proliferation of the T Cell population. © 1992.