Protective activity of thymosin against opportunistic infections in animal models.

Animal models for opportunistic infections were developed by using mice immunosuppressed by 5-FU. These mice were susceptible to various microorganisms, while normal mice had greater tolerance to such microbial infections. In these models, thymosin alpha 1 was found to protect mice against lethal infections with Candida albicans, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia marcescens when it was administered during 5-FU treatment prior to the infections. Thymosin alpha 1 was effective in some infections at 0.4-400 micrograms/kg/day IP, about 1/100 of the dose required for thymosin fraction 5. Activity was also demonstrated against L-monocytogenes and Ps. aeruginosa by counting the viable bacteria in the liver after infection. The protective activity against Candida, elimination of which macrophages were essential, was abrogated by anti-thymocyte serum and/or carrageenan, indicating that thymosin alpha 1 serves to maintain the functions of macrophages by reducing the damage to T cells by 5-FU. On the other hand, the activity against Pseudomonas infection was not affected by anti-thymocyte serum or carrageenan. It is probable that thymosin alpha 1 also exerts its effect on neutrophils without participation of T cells and macrophages.