The short version of thymosin alpha-1 fits in a sentence. The long version — which is the one that helps — is below.
This page was last updated on 2026-03-15 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
Thymosin alpha-1 is a synthetic peptide of 28 amino acids whose sequence matches the amino-terminal region of prothymosin alpha. The chain is acetylated at its first residue and contains one disulfide bridge between two cysteine residues, which folds the molecule into a compact loop. Its molecular formula, C129H215N33O55, corresponds to a monoisotopic mass of roughly 3,106 daltons. Material used in laboratories is made by solid-phase synthesis rather than isolated from animal tissue.
Early work on thymic extracts in the 1960s described a heat-stable acidic fraction containing many polypeptides. Separation of that mixture yielded individual components, and thymosin alpha-1 was named as one of them on the basis of assays for T-cell activity. The first preparations came from calf thymus, while subsequent research and clinical material has been chemically synthesized. Nomenclature in older papers is inconsistent, and the same peptide sometimes appears under different designations, which complicates literature searches.
The lyophilized peptide is a white to off-white powder that dissolves freely in water and in aqueous buffers near neutral pH. Because the molecule carries a net negative charge under physiological conditions, saline and phosphate solutions are the usual vehicles, while strongly acidic media are avoided. Stock solutions are commonly divided into small aliquots so that repeated freezing and thawing can be limited, since cycling may encourage aggregation. Solubility in organic solvents is poor and those solvents are seldom used as primary diluents.
Recommended storage for the dry powder is a freezer near minus twenty degrees Celsius, kept desiccated and away from light. Once dissolved, the peptide is less stable and is usually held at two to eight degrees Celsius for short intervals or frozen for longer storage. Stability studies focus on the acetylated terminus and the disulfide linkage because those features define the intact molecule. Common degradation routes include cysteine oxidation, deamidation of asparagine or glutamine side chains, and slow formation of higher-molecular-weight species.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Synthetic peptide | 28 residues; not a small-molecule compound |
| Molecular mass | About 3,106 Da | Monoisotopic mass of the unmodified chain |
| N-terminal group | Acetylated serine | Present in both native and synthetic forms |
| Secondary structure | Disulfide-constrained loop | One bridge between two cysteine residues |
| Typical source | Solid-phase synthesis | Early isolates came from bovine thymus extracts |
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.
Like most short peptides, thymosin alpha-1 is susceptible to hydrolysis under strongly acidic or basic conditions and to oxidation when exposed to air over long periods. The acetylated amino terminus blocks one common degradation route, which contributes to the molecule's relative robustness in solution. Lyophilized material generally retains potency for extended periods when kept cold and dry. Once reconstituted, aqueous solutions are less stable and are typically used within a defined window rather than held indefinitely at ambient temperature.
Routine handling calls for storage of the lyophilized powder at refrigerated temperatures, away from light, in a sealed container. Working solutions are often prepared in sterile water or buffer and kept cold between uses. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles are generally avoided because they can promote aggregation and loss of material. Laboratories usually record lot number, reconstitution date, and storage conditions so that any change in behavior can be traced to a specific preparation.
== Treatment == Avoid cold weather. Treat the underlying lymphoma. No cold drinks; all drinks should be at room temperature (or above). Requires heater to maintain temperature in cold places. Treatment with rituximab has been described. The treatment of cold agglutinin disease depends on many factors including the severity of the condition, the signs and symptoms present in each person, and the underlying cause. For example, in those affected by secondary cold agglutinin disease, it is important to diagnose and treat the underlying condition which may include certain types of cancer; bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections; and/or other autoimmune disease. People with few symptoms and/or mild anemia may not require any specific treatment. These cases are often managed by simply avoiding exposure to the cold. In severe cases of hemolysis, medical interventions may be necessary. Rituximab (an antibody that selectively reduces specific types of immune cells) is effective in about 60% of cases of severe cold agglutinin disease. Medical researchers have found the response to rituximab is seen on average within 1 to 2 months of treatment and the effect of the treatment lasts for about 1 to 2 years. Rituximab may be used after a second and even a third relapse, however the success rate is less. Combined treatment with rituximab and fludarabine has resulted in higher response rates (76% of cases) and longer periods of remissions (on average, 6.5 years).
== Life == Micah True was born Michael Randall Hickman in Oakland, California, the son of a Korean War Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant and the second of four children. He grew up traveling the country as his family relocated to various nationally located Marine Corps bases. His family was conservative Roman Catholic, but True aligned himself with the counter-culture movement of the 1960s and 70s. True attended Humboldt State University, where he studied Eastern religions and Native American history. To earn money he began prizefighting in informal boxing bouts, using the name "Gypsy Cowboy," and perhaps taking the occasional dive for an easy payday. Between 1974 and 1982, Hickman was a professional middleweight boxer, fighting under the name Mike "True" Hickman. His career record was 9 wins (KO 2), 11 losses (KO 9), and 0 draws. At some point True spent 10 months living in a cave in Hawaii where he fell in love with a rich girl. It was when she left him, he said, that he took up long-distance running. He also changed his name from Michael Hickman to Micah True. (The name Micah comes from the Bible, while True came from the name of a beloved pet: True Dog.) By 1982, True had moved to Boulder, Colorado, where he began working as a self-employed furniture mover. By then he had become a "trailrunning bum" (like a "surfing bum or a climbing bum"). For almost 20 years, he spent winters running in Mexico, Guatemala, and Central America, averaging 170 miles (270 km) per week. He would return to Boulder during the summers to earn enough money to live on the rest of the year.
On 18 December 2008, at the Old Bailey, Napper pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Rachel Nickell on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Mr Justice Griffith Williams said that Napper would be detained indefinitely at Broadmoor because he was "a very dangerous man".
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== 1968 === January 30: Tet Offensive in South Vietnam begins. March 1: The years of Lead start in Italy with the Battle of Valle Giulia clash between far-right and far-left militants. March 12: Mauritius becomes independent from the UK under Commonwealth status. March 18: The Moro conflict begins in Southern Philippines. March 30: Johnson suspends bombings over North Vietnam and announces he is not running for reelection. June 8: Tet Offensive ends; while an American military victory, it raises questions over America's military chances in Vietnam. June 17: The Second Malayan Emergency begins. July 1: The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is opened for signature. July 17: Abdul Rahman Arif, the President of Iraq at that time was overthrown by a coup staged by Iraq Ba'athist Party. The revolution eventually lead to the installation of the Ba'athist government in Iraq. August 20: Prague Spring Reforms in Communist Czechoslovakia result in Warsaw Pact, led by Soviet Red Army, crushing Czechoslovak revolt. September 6: Swaziland becomes independent from the UK. October 3: Peruvian General Juan Velasco Alvarado overthrows President Fernando Belaunde Terry in a military coup. October 12: Spanish Guinea (modern day Equatorial Guinea) becomes independent from Spain. December 23: The captain and crew of the USS Pueblo are released by North Korea. December 21–27: The launch of Apollo 8, the first crewed spaceflight to enter the gravitational influence of another celestial body and to orbit the Moon.
Mayer, suggested flight to the suburbs was grounded as much in economics as race: "Present population trends clearly demonstrate that the city is, by and large, being abandoned by all except those who suffer from relatively great ... deprivations." White families were in better positions to relocate into the suburbs, in juxtaposition with black families who faced discrimination in home loans and in the real estate market. Highway construction post-WWII also contributed to white flight, specifically with the construction of the Interstate Highway System. This allowed white families to commute to work in the city from the suburbs easily and incentivized many white Detroiters to relocate thus. The construction of highways in Detroit further exacerbated the pre-existing racial segregation, as government officials built highways through areas that were seen as blighted – typically black "ghettos" – that were under-financed and under-maintained. As a result of white flight and mass migration to the suburbs, a significant change in the racial composition of Detroit occurred. From 1950 to 2010, the black/white population percentage went from 16.2%/83.6% to 82.7%/10.6%. Approximately 1,400,000 of the 1,600,000 white people in Detroit after World War II left the city for the suburbs. Beginning in the 1980s, for the first time in its history, Detroit was a majority-black city. This drastic racial demographic change resulted in more than a change in neighborhood appearance. It had political, social, and economic effects as well.
=== Complications === A number of complications may occur from cholecystitis if not detected early or properly treated. Signs of complications include high fever, shock and jaundice. Complications include the following:
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Its sequence corresponds to the amino-terminal portion of prothymosin alpha, a larger protein present in many cell types. The isolated 28-residue peptide is a fragment of that protein rather than a separately encoded molecule, and laboratory material is produced by synthesis.
The single bridge between two cysteine residues holds the chain in a folded loop that influences its shape and its behavior in solution. Loss of the bridge through reduction or oxidation shifts chromatographic retention and is tracked during stability work.
It is a defined 28-residue sequence derived from a larger precursor, whereas many other thymic preparations are mixtures of several polypeptides. Its acetylated amino terminus and single disulfide bridge distinguish it chemically from unrelated thymic extracts.
Reconstituted solutions are typically kept refrigerated at two to eight degrees Celsius when used within a short window, or frozen in aliquots for longer periods. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles are avoided because they can reduce recovery of intact peptide.