Everything below concerns prothymosin alpha. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Last reviewed on 2026-03-13. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
20世纪70年代，研究者从胸腺提取物中纯化出多种小肽，Tα1是其中被较早表征的一种。最初的制备依赖组织匀浆和层析步骤，产量低且成分复杂。随着固相肽合成技术成熟，实验室和工业界能够生产与天然序列一致的合成版本。合成肽的纯度可达95%以上，并可通过反相高效液相色谱和质谱进行鉴定。这一转变使研究不再依赖动物胸腺来源。
市售的胸腺素α1通常以冻干粉形式提供，溶解后用于注射。其氨基酸组成包括多个酸性残基，因此在中性pH下带负电荷。该肽可溶于水和生理盐水，但在有机溶剂中溶解度有限。储存条件通常为冻干状态下负20摄氏度，溶解后需冷藏并避免反复冻融。常见的同义词包括胸腺肽α1、thymalfasin和Tα1。
胸腺素α1（thymosin alpha 1，Tα1）是一种由28个氨基酸组成的酸性肽，N端被乙酰化，分子量约为3108道尔顿。该肽最早从牛胸腺组织提取物中分离，属于胸腺素组分5的一个成分。其序列在不同哺乳动物中高度保守，提示其具有基本的生物学功能。名称中的“α1”指其在电泳中的迁移位置，并非表示亚型编号。它既存在于胸腺，也存在于脾脏和淋巴结等免疫组织。
Thymosin alpha-1 is a synthetic peptide of 28 amino acid residues that corresponds to a naturally occurring fragment first isolated from thymus tissue. Its chain is acetylated at the amino terminus, a modification that shields the peptide from rapid cleavage by aminopeptidases. The molecule carries a net negative charge at physiological pH and dissolves freely in water. Researchers classify it as an immune-modulating agent rather than a classical hormone, because it acts on several cell types of both the innate and the adaptive immune system.
The peptide was identified during work in the 1970s on thymosin fraction 5, a partially purified extract of calf thymus. Investigators separated that mixture and characterized individual components, one of which they named thymosin alpha-1. The same compound later received the international nonproprietary name thymalfasin. Commercial material is produced by solid-phase peptide synthesis rather than by extraction, so synthetic and natural forms share an identical sequence. Naming conventions vary across the literature, and readers should distinguish the alpha-1 peptide from other thymosins that have unrelated sequences and functions.
Thymosin beta-4 is a separate 43-residue peptide that binds actin and participates in cell migration; it shares no sequence similarity with thymosin alpha-1 despite the common family name. Other preparative materials, such as thymosin fraction 5 and thymopoietin, contain distinct mixtures or peptides. The shared thymosin label reflects the tissue of origin used in early purification, not a common structural core. Treating these molecules as interchangeable is a frequent source of confusion in laboratory reports and in popular summaries alike.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 化学分类 | 线性肽 | 由28个氨基酸组成 |
| 分子量 | 约3108 Da | 合成版本一致 |
| 外观 | 白色至类白色粉末 | 冻干品 |
| 溶解度 | 易溶于水 | 微溶于有机溶剂 |
| 储存温度 | -20°C（冻干） | 溶解后2-8°C |
Thymosin alpha 1 is a short peptide of 28 amino acid residues that derives from the amino terminal region of a larger precursor protein known as prothymosin alpha. The peptide carries an acetyl group on its first residue and contains no disulfide bonds or carbohydrate chains. Its sequence is highly conserved across mammalian species, which is one reason laboratories treat it as a molecule with a defined and reproducible structure rather than a variable tissue extract. The name follows an early naming convention for thymus-derived fractions and does not imply that the peptide acts as a hormone in the classical endocrine sense.
Biologically, the peptide is studied mainly in the context of immune cell development and regulation. It is produced in the thymus and in several other tissues, and it appears to influence the maturation and activity of T cells and other immune populations. Laboratory work describes effects on cytokine production, on the balance between T cell subsets, and on the function of dendritic cells. Much of this evidence comes from cell culture and animal models, so the extent to which the same pathways operate in humans remains an open question.
Clinical interest has centered on chronic viral hepatitis, on immune restoration in various conditions, and on use as an adjuvant intended to improve responses to vaccines. Trials have reported mixed results, and regulatory status differs sharply between countries; in some places it is a prescription product, while elsewhere it is sold without an approved therapeutic indication. Because published studies vary widely in design, population, and endpoints, comparisons across them are difficult and no single conclusion covers the whole literature.
Thymosin alpha 1 is a short peptide first isolated from bovine thymus tissue in the early 1970s during fractionation work aimed at identifying factors that influence T cell development. It belongs to a family of acidic thymic peptides, and the original preparations contained several components that were later separated by chromatography. The compound is now produced synthetically rather than extracted from tissue, which removes batch variability tied to animal sourcing. Researchers describe it as an immunomodulatory peptide because laboratory studies show effects on several cell types of the innate and adaptive immune systems.
The molecule consists of 28 amino acid residues with an acetyl group attached to the N-terminal serine. Its sequence is acidic overall, with several glutamic and aspartic acid residues distributed along the chain and no cysteine, so disulfide bridges do not form. The peptide carries a net negative charge at physiological pH. Because the N-terminus is blocked, the intact molecule resists degradation by many aminopeptidases, which contributes to its stability in biological fluids.
Whether the free 28-residue peptide circulates in human tissue remains debated. The best-documented human source is prothymosin alpha, a larger acidic protein that carries the sequence at its N-terminus. Reports of measurable peptide levels in serum and lymphoid tissue exist, yet some of that signal may come from cross-reacting fragments or from the parent protein. Most reviews therefore treat prothymosin alpha as the established human molecule and describe independent circulation of the small peptide as an unresolved question.
Immunological studies connect the peptide to multiple parts of the immune response. It has been reported to engage Toll-like receptor signaling, to promote dendritic cell maturation, and to influence the balance of T helper cell subsets. Changes in natural killer cell activity and in cytokine release appear in cell culture and animal models. These observations describe broad immunomodulatory behavior rather than a single defined receptor target, and the primary molecular interaction has not been settled.
== Usage == Silverside beef is a lean cut, and thus is often cooked via braising or other indirect heating methods in a pot roast recipe. It may also be thinly sliced for minute steak or beef olives, or butterflied to enhance tenderness. In South Africa, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, silverside is the cut of choice for corning or brining, so much so that the name "silverside" is often used to refer to corned beef (also called salt beef) rather than any other form of the cut. In South Africa this cut is often used to make biltong (a form of dried, cured meat).
Because lichens accumulate pollutants over time, they allow for high-density spatial sampling, even in areas lacking automated monitoring stations. This makes X. parietina particularly useful for retrospective pollution assessments and long-term environmental monitoring. Findings from the Adriatic Italy study support its role as a reliable tool for tracking pollution trends, identifying pollutant sources, and informing environmental planning and public health strategies. Environmental influences on growth rate have important implications for biomonitoring studies that use X. parietina to assess air quality. Because the lichen accumulates pollutants over time, differences in growth rates between populations can affect pollutant load measurements. Thalli in humid, cooler environments may accumulate contaminants at a lower rate than those in drier, warmer habitats simply due to differences in growth and dilution effects. Consequently, lichen-based biomonitoring efforts must consider local climatic conditions to ensure accurate comparisons of atmospheric pollution levels across regions.
Icotrokinra, sold under the brand name Icotyde, is a medication used for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. It is a cyclic peptide that functions as a selective interleukin 23 (IL-23) receptor antagonist. It is a synthetic peptide that binds selectively to the IL-23 receptor (IL-23R) with high affinity and competitively antagonizes the binding of IL-23. It is an immunosuppressant and interleukin inhibitor. It is being developed by Johnson & Johnson. Icotrokinra was approved for medical use in the United States in March 2026.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
David Ezra Green (August 5, 1910 – July 8, 1983) was an American biochemist who made significant contributions to the study of enzymes, particularly the electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation.
This is analogous to moving a large object: you move one end first, then the other. Chemical modification experiments provided evidence of this hybrid model, in which tRNAs can sample a hybrid state of binding during the elongation phase (pre-translocation step). In these hybrid states of binding, acceptor and anti-codon ends of tRNA are in different sites (A, P and E). Using chemical probing methods, a set of phylogenetically conserved bases in ribosomal RNA where the tRNA binds has been examined, and is suggested to be directly involved in the binding of tRNA to the prokaryotic ribosome. Correlation of such site-specific protected bases in rRNA and occupancy of the A, P and E sites has allowed diagnostic assays of these bases to study the location of tRNA in any given state of the translational cycle. Authors proposed a hybrid model in which higher affinity of the deactivated tRNA and peptide tRNA for the E and P sites of the 50S subunit, thermodynamically favours P/P to P/E and A/A to A/P transitions, which were further demonstrated through cryo-EM experiments. Also, single molecule FRET studies have detected fluctuations in the positions of tRNAs, leading to the conclusion that the classical (A/A-P/P) and hybrid states (A/P-P/E) of the tRNAs are certainly in dynamic equilibrium. Prior to peptide bond formation, an aminoacyl-tRNA is bound in the A-site, a peptidyl-tRNA is bound in the P-site, and a deacylated tRNA (ready to exit from the ribosome) is bound to the E-site.
== Nearly defunct former casual restaurant chains == This list contains chains that were much larger in the past, with some having several hundred locations at their peak, which have since been reduced to a single location.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
它不是经典的内分泌激素，而是一种免疫调节肽。其作用主要通过局部免疫细胞间的信号传递实现，而非经血液循环作用于远隔器官。
天然胸腺素α1主要从胸腺组织提取，也可在脾脏和淋巴结中检出。目前研究和临床使用的多为化学合成版本，不再依赖动物组织。
胸腺素组分5是牛胸腺提取物的粗组分，包含多种肽。胸腺素α1是其中一种被纯化和表征的单一肽，具有明确的28个氨基酸序列。
It is a 28-residue synthetic peptide studied as an immune-modulating agent and approved as a drug in some countries. The sequence matches a naturally occurring fragment isolated from thymus tissue. It is not a hormone in the endocrine sense.