In vitro thymosin effect on T lymphocytes in alcoholic liver disease

Abstract

The in vitro effect of thymosin fraction 5, a thymic gland extract, on thymus-dependent lymphocytes was studied in 12 patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH) and in 18 patients with compensated alcoholic cirrhosis (CAC). The baseline number and proportion of spontaneous rosette-forming T lymphocytes were significantly reduced in AH as compared to the controls. No such decrease was seen in CAC. When the lymphocytes of patients with AH were incubated in the presence of thymosin fraction 5, the subsequent number and proportion of rosette-forming T lymphocytes showed a significant increase. There was no significant reponse to thymosin in CAC or in control subjects. There appears to be a subset of immature T lymphocytes in patients with AH that is responsive to exogenous thymic factors with subsequent activation of the capacity to form spontaneous rosettes.