Thymosin alpha-1 (Zadaxin): A thymic peptide with a wide range of biological and clinical activities

Thymosin alpha-1 (zadaxin) a 28-amino acid peptide, which was first identified in the calf thymus. This peptide is a biological modifier which leads to activation of various cells of the immune system. In the recent years, thymosin alpha-1 has been studied in in vitro and in vitro studies to evaluate its biological activities and therapeutic applications. 

This study was done to summarize findings from the biological and clinical applications of thymosin alpha-1 peptide. We searched at the sites of Google, Google Scholar and PubMed over 1966-2019 using Thymosin alpha-1, Immunomodulatory, Cancer, Hepatitis and AIDS as keywords.

The results showed that thymosin alpha-1 interacts with Tolllike receptors (TLR) and brings about to activation of some intracellular pathways that ultimately stimulate the immune system by modulating cytokine production, enhancing T-cell and dendritic cells. The peptide also shows antitumor activity and a protective role against oxidative damage by increasing the level of antioxidant enzymes. Clinical studies with thymosin alpha-1 have been shown a broad effective application against many infectious diseases, including hepatitis B and C and AIDS. In addition, thymosin alpha-1 is considered as a promising and adjunctive approach for subjects suffering from some cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma and melanoma.

The results of this study indicate the multiple biological properties of thymosin alpha-1. However, further studies are needed to understand the mechanism of action of thymosin alpha-1.