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Part 2 - The Thymus Gland - (Continued from Part 1 of 2)
Enteropathy-type intestinal T-cell lymphoma largely occurs in celiac
disease patients. A proliferation of abnormal intraepithelial T cells
seems to form the basis of this lymphoma and refractory celiac disease, as
well. Thymic malfunction could contribute to these diseases.
Hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) is common in celiacs and in those over
age 40. Low stomach acid also results in malabsorption and poor mineral
absorption, and, therefore, hypochlorhydria could also impair thymic
function leading to immune system and autoimmune problems.
Allergies might also result from a malnourished thymus. Regulatory T cells
influence the differentiation of naive T cells activated by antigens. An
activated T cell divides and proliferates generating various T cell types,
including helper 1 (Th1) and helper 2 (Th2) T cells. "Atopic diseases are
characterized by Th2 and IgE responses to common environmental and food
antigens." [Ref 5] Regulatory T cells prevent atopy in healthy individuals
by preventing Th2 differentiation. These regulatory T cells develop both
within the thymus and peripherally. An impaired thymus could result in a
reduction of these regulatory T cells, opening the door to the development
of allergies. Intestinal permeability or "leaky gut" has taken the blame
for development of multiple food allergies in celiacs as well as in those
with low stomach acid. Perhaps a malnourished and impaired thymus should
take at least some, if not most, of the blame for multiple food allergies.
"Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease
characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary)
muscles of the body. In adults with myasthenia gravis, the thymus gland is
abnormal. Thymectomy, the surgical removal of the thymus gland, reduces
symptoms in more than 70 percent of patients without thymoma and may cure
some individuals, possibly by re-balancing the immune system. Researchers
are seeking to learn what causes the autoimmune response in myasthenia
gravis, and to better define the relationship between the thymus gland and
myasthenia gravis." Could the impact of celiac disease malabsortion on the
thymus be a trigger of this disease? And what are the long term
consequences of thymectomy now that science knows the thymus continues to
be active in adults?
Myasthenia Gravis Fact Sheet
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/myasthenia_gravis.htm
Below are a few links to news stories about current research into thymus
rejuvenation and the application of thymic function to improving the
outcome of medical treatment and procedures. In addition, enhancement of
thymic function by growth hormone is also being studied. [Ref 6]
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REFERENCES:
(Note: Information was obtained from numerous PubMed abstracts. For
brevity, citations were omitted.)
[1] The thymus: a barometer of malnutrition
Prentice AM
Br J Nutr. 1999 May;81(5):345-7
[2] CD4+CD8+ human small intestinal T cells are decreased in coeliac
patients, with CD8 expression downregulated on intra-epithelial T cells in
the active disease.
Carton J, Byrne B, Madrigal-Estebas L, O'Donoghue DP, O'Farrelly C.
Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2004 Oct;16(10):961-8
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[3] Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Jun-Aug;24(3-4):233-40
Peptides of pineal gland and thymus prolong human life.
Khavinson VKh, Morozov VG.
St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology of the North-
Western Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Russia.
[log in to unmask]
OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN: Researchers of the St. Petersburg Institute of
Bioregulation and Gerontology of the North-Western Branch of the Russian
Academy of Medical Sciences and the Institute of Gerontology of the
Ukrainian Academy of Medical Sciences (Kiev) clinically assessed the
geroprotective effects of thymic (Thymalin) and pineal (Epithalamin)
peptide bioregulators in 266 elderly and older persons during 6-8 years.
The bioregulators were applied for the first 2-3 years of observation.
RESULTS: The obtained results convincingly showed the ability of the
bioregulators to normalize the basic functions of the human organism, i.e.
to improve the indices of cardiovascular, endocrine, immune and nervous
systems, homeostasis and metabolism. Homeostasis restoration was
accompanied by a 2.0-2.4-fold decrease in acute respiratory disease
incidence, reduced incidence of the clinical manifestations of ischemic
heart disease, hypertension disease, deforming osteoarthrosis and
osteoporosis as compared to the control. Such a significant improvement in
the health state of the peptide-treated patients correlated with decreased
mortality rate during observation: 2.0-2.1-fold in the Thymalin-treated
group; 1.6-1.8-fold in the Epithalamin-treated group; 2.5-fold in the
patients treated with Thymalin plus Epithalamin as compared to the control.
A separate group of patients was treated with Thymalin in combination with
Epithalamin annually for 6 years and their mortality rate decreased 4.1
times as compared to the control. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained data confirmed
the high geroprotective efficacy of Thymalin and Epithalamin and the
expediency of their application in medicine and social care for health
maintenance and age-related pathology prevention in persons over 60 to
prolong their active longevity.
Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
Randomized Controlled Trial
PMID: 14523363 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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[4] T cell depletion in untreated adult coeliac disease
O'Donoghue DP, Lancaster-Smith M, Laviniere P, Kumar PJ
Gut. 1976 May;17(5):328-31
[5] The role of regulatory T cells in allergy
Curotto de Lafaille MA, Lafaille JJ
Springer Semin Immunopathol. 2004 Feb;25(3-4):295-310. Epub 2003 Oct 22
[6] The thymus gland: a target organ for growth hormone
Savino W, Postel-Vinay MC, Smaniotto S, Dardenne M
Scand J Immunol. 2002 May;55(5):442-52
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LINKS:
(Paste long links together on one line.)
B Cells and T Cells
http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/B/B_and_Tcells.html
thymus gland, Anatomy And Physiology
http://reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/T/thymusgl.html
The Thymus (with illustrations) - Gray's Anatomy
http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/reference/gray/274.html
Thymus Gland
http://www.thedoctorsdoctor.com/bodysites/thymus.htm
Thymus and T cell Discussion - See the
New England Journal of Medicine Review Articles:
The Immune System-I
T-Cell Function and Migration
http://www.ecu.edu/intmedresidency/CurrentResidents/reviewarticles.htm
The thymus and central tolerance, Sprent J, Kishimoto H
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2001 May 29;356(1409):609-16
(Free full PDF text - Enter "The thymus and central tolerance" in
the "Search For" window to access this article.)
http://www.journals.royalsoc.ac.uk
Proliferation and apoptosis of human T cells during replicative senescence--
a critical approach
Jaruga E, Skierski J, Radziszewska E, Sikora E
Acta Biochim Pol. 2000;47(2):293-300
http://www.actabp.pl/pdf/2_2000/293-300.pdf
Thymus Gland - its overlooked but vital role by James South MA
http://smart-drugs.net/ias-thymus.htm
Researchers discover thymus gland plays role in fighting infection after
bone-marrow transplantation
http://irweb.swmed.edu/newspub/newsdetl.asp?story_id=290
Regrowing the Thymus gland
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s725898.htm
Thymus Gland - NEW TRANSPLANTATION TECHNIQUE MAY ONE DAY PREVENT CARDIAC
GRAFT REJECTION IN CHILDREN
http://www.facs.org/2003clincon/press/prsachs.html
Thymus Gland and Malnutrition - Zinc and Immune Function
http://www.zincworld.org/zwo_org/Publications/ZincProtects/ZP1104/1104.htm
The thymus: a barometer of malnutrition, Prentice AM
Br J Nutr. 1999 May;81(5):345-7
(Free full HTML text is available at the Ingenta Select link)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=10615206
Enteropathy-type Intestinal T-cell lymphoma
http://www.thedoctorsdoctor.com/diseases/lymphoma_enteropathytype.htm
http://www.jco.org/cgi/content/full/18/4/795
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