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Thyroid Function Modulates Thymic Endocrine Activity^*

Cattedra di Immunologia, Universita' di Pavia Pavia
Dipartimento Richerche Gerontologiche, Istituto Nazionale di Riposo e Cura Anziani Ancona
Cattedra di Endocrinologia e Medicina Costituzionale, Istituto di Metodologia Clinica e Medicina del Lavoro, Universita'di Pisa Pisa,Italy

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: N. Fabris, Immunology Center, I.N.R.C.A. Research Department, Via Birarelli, 8, 60124 Ancona, Italy.

The thymus produces humoral factors that induce proliferation and differentiation of T-cells, which are responsible for cell-mediated immunity. Recent datain animals suggest that such thymic hormone activity is modulated by the neuroendocrine network and, in particular, by thyroid hormones, but no information is presently available in humans. To study this question, we measured the circulating thymic factor called thymulin (Zn-FTS) in hyperthyroid and hypothyroid patients. Thymulin levels were higher in hyperthyroid patients than in normal subjects, whereas hypothyroid patients had lower thy-mulin levels than normal subjects. A significant correlation was (found between circulating thymulin and serum T₄ and T₃ levels.Thymulin changes could be reversed by appropriate treatment n i both groups of patients. Recent data indicate that zinc is required to confer biological activity on thymic hormone molecules. This raised the question of whether the influence of thyroid status on thymulin activity could be mediated by changes i n serum zinc concentrations. No support for such an explanation was obtained by thymulin measurements by a modified bioassay using an optimal zinc concentration in the assay system.

In conclusion, thyroid status modulates thymic endocrine function in humans. Whether and to what extent such modulation is relevant to the function of the immune system remain to be established.

^* This work, done within the framework of EURAGE, was supported by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, through grants to N.F. (82.01301.04 and 83.02502.04) and through Progetto Finalizzato Med-icina Preventiva e Riabilitativa-Sottoprogetto Meccanismi di Invec-chiamento (to N.F. (83.02625.56) and A.P. (83.02775.56), and by Pro-getto Finalizzato I.N.R.C.A./Ministero della Sanita', Identita' e Inte-grita' delPAnziano NeH'Ambiente.

Received March 28, 1985.

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