Distribution of age-related thymulin titres in normal subjects through the course of life

Abstract

SUMMARY The thymus has a dominant immunological role in utero and in early childhood, being a primary source of T lymphopoiesis, and its investigation may be particularly relevant for the immunological study of paediatric patients. Thymulin, a nonapeptide secreted by the thymus, is an essential hormone for T lymphocyte differentiation and function. As thymulin values in the normal population have not been well documented, especially for children under the age of 1 year, we detail thymic endocrine function by presenting age-related plasma thymulin levels in a large series (n = 93) of healthy individuals, ranging from birth to old age. We demonstrate that thymulin is already detectable at birth; it then gradually increases with age, reaching the highest level in children aged 5–10 years. Starting at adolescence, thymulin titres gradually start to fall, reaching the lowest value at 36 years of age and remaining steady until 80 years (the oldest person tested).