[Effect of thymopentin on production of cytokines, heat shock proteins, and NF-kappaB signaling proteins].

In vivo effects of thymopentin, an active fragment of the naturally occurring thymic hormone thymopoietin, on the production of cytokines, nitric oxide, heat shock proteins, and signal proteins NF-kappaB, phNF-kappaB, and IkappaB-alpha in lymphoid cells of male NMRI mice was studied. Activation of production of several cytokines (IL-1alpha, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-gamma), nitric oxide, and heat shock proteins (HSP70 and HSP90) was observed in peritoneal macrophages and spleen lymphocytes of mice that received intraperitoneal injections of thymopentin (15 microg per 100 g body weight). Thymopentin apparently produces stress-like rather than damaging effects. A probable action mechanism of this hormone is activation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway, which is most pronounced at the NF-kappaA phosphorylation stage.