THYMOSIN ADMINISTRATION IN AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS

Abstract

Five patients with autoimmune disorders were given thymosin, fraction 5, parenterally for periods ranging 2-35 mo. Four patients had systemic lupus erythematosus and the 5th had rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren''s syndrome. Treatment with thymosin was based on the hypothesis of a T suppressor defect in these autoimmune disorders. Circulating T lymphocytes increased and remained above pretreatment levels in all patients. Assays for cytotoxicity, using mouse thymocytes and patients'' sera, were positive initially and declined during the treatment course. In all patients, serum cytotoxicity levels were reduced to zero. There was clinical improvement in 3 patients, and in 1, the disease became stable. The evaluation of the 5th patient was inconclusive. No ill effects related to thymosin administration were observed.