Effect of the synthetic regulatory peptide thymohexin on the production of various classes of immunoglobulins

Abstract

Some mechanisms of the immunoregulatory effect produced by the new drug thymohexin (immunophan), which contains synthetic hexapeptide as a pharmacological agent, are studied. Administration of the drug in a culture of polyclonally activated mononuclear cells from healthy donors intensifies IgM, IgG, and IgA production and inhibits IgE synthesis. Treating intact mononuclear cells with thymohexin does not significantly affect the production of immunoglobulins. The drug is found to intensify IgA synthesis in cases of genetically determined insufficiency and to suppress the production of IgE by lymphocytes in patients with atopic dermatitis. The immunoregulatory effect of the drug is shown to be mediated via cell-cell interaction in the system of transfer of thymohexin-activated mononuclears.