Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Zidovudine and thymus humoral factor gamma-2 in the treatment of HIV infection: Preliminary clinical experience

  • Brief Report
  • Published:
Infection Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A case-control, prospective, open-label, clinical trial to evaluate efficacy and safety of a combined zidovudine/Thymus Humoral Factor Gamma-2 (THF) therapy in HIV-infected subjects was conducted in 13 patients. Twenty-six patients were included as controls receiving only zidovudine. The two groups of patients were matched according to sex, age, CDC stage of HIV infection, number of CD4+ T cells and type of previous opportunistic infections (if any) and all patients and controls were naive for antiretroviral therapy at the moment they entered the trial. The observation period was protracted up to 47 months (mean 28±13 months). No significant difference was observed between the two groups as far as surrogate markers of HIV disease progression are concerned. However, patients receiving zidovudine and THF showed a lower number of opportunistic complications. Only one patient in this group progressed to manifest AIDS while 9 of 18 controls presented disease progression. Four patients died in the case group, all of them were CDC stage IV at admission, and 15 of 26 died in the control group (all CDC stage IV at admission, and four patients who presented disease progression during the study period). Survival time was increased in the case group. The exact immunological effect of thymus hormones in HIV infection has still to be elucidated, but a possible therapeutic role of these agents is foreseeable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Stein, D. S., Timpone, J. G., Gradon, J. D., Kagan, J. M., Schnittman, S. M. Immune based therapeutics: scientific rationale and the promising approaches to the treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus-infected individual. Clin. Infect. Dis. 17 (1993) 749–771.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Intravenous Immunoglobulin Study Group Intravenous immune globulin for the prevention of bacterial infections in children with symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus infection. N. Engl. J. Med. 325 (1991) 73–80.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Interferon Alpha Study Group A randomised placebo-controlled trial of recombinant human interferon alpha 2a in patients with AIDS. J. Acquir. Immun. Defic. Syndr. 1 (1988) 111–118.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Real, F. X., Oettgen, H. F., Krown, S. E. Kaposi's sarcoma and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: treatment with high and low doses of recombinant leukocyte A interferon. J. Clin. Oncol. 4 (1986) 544–551.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Volberding, P., Valero, R., Rothman, J., Gee, G. Alpha interferon therapy of Kaposi's sarcoma in AIDS. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 437 (1986) 439–446.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Wood, R., Montoya, J. G., Kundu, S. K., Schwartz, D. H., Merigan, T. C. Safety and efficacy of polyethylene glycol-modified interleukin-2 and zidovudine in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection: a phase I7II study. J. Infect. Dis. 167 (1993) 519–525.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Oates, K. K., Sztein, M. B., Goldstein, A. L. Mechanism of action of the thymosins: modulation of lymphokines, receptors, and T-cell differentiation antigens. Immunol. Ser. 45 (1989) 273–288.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Baxevanis, C. N., Frillingos, S., Seferiadis, K. Enhancement of human T lymphocyte function by prothymosin alpha: increased production of interleukin-2 and expression of interleukin-2 receptors in normal human peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Immunopharmacol. Immunotoxicol. 12 (1990) 595–617.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Bustelo, X. R., Otero, A., Gomez-Marquez, J., Freire, M. Expression of the rat prothymosin alpha gene during T-lymphocyte proliferation and liver regeneration. J. Biol. Chem. 266 (1991) 1443–1447.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Safer, D., Elzinga, M., Nachmias, V. T. Thymosin β4 and Fx, an actin-sequestering peptide, are indistinguishable. J. Biol. Chem. 266 (1991) 4029–4032.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Mutchnick, M. B., Appelman, H. D., Chung, H. T. Thymosin treatment of chronic hepatitis B: a placebo-controlled pilot trial. Hepatology 14 (1991) 409–415.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Dumann, H., Meuer, S. C., Renschin, G., Koehler, H. Influence of thymopentin on antibody response and monocyte and T cell function in hemodialysis patients who fail to respond to hepatitis B vaccination. Nephron 55 (1990) 136–140.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Conant, M. A., Calabrese, L. H., Thompson, S. E., Poiesz, B. J., Rasheed, S., Hirsh, R. L., Meyerson, L. A., Kremer, A. B., Wang, C. C., Goldstein, G. Maintenance of CD4+ cells by thymopentin in asymptomatic HIV-infected subjects: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. AIDS 6 (1992) 1335–1339.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Clumeck, N., Cran, S., Van de Perre, P., Mascart-Lemone, F., Duchateau, J., Bolla, K. Thymopentin treatment in AIDS and pre-AIDS patients. Surv. Immunol. Res. (Suppl. 1) (1985) 58–62.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Silvestris, F., Gernone, A., Frassanito, M. A., Dammacco, F. Immunologic effects of long-term thymopentin treatment in patients with HIV-induced lymphoadenopathy syndrome. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 113 (1989) 139–144.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Trainin, N., Handzel, Z. T., Pecht, M. Biological and clinical properties of THF. Thymus 7 (1985) 137–150.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Handzel, Z. T., Bentwich, Z., Burstein, R., Segal, O., Berner, Y., Levin, S. Antiviral properties of Thymic Humoral Factor and other thymic hormones. Clin. Immunol. Newslet. 6 (1985) 68–71.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Handzel, Z. T., Berner, Y., Segal, O. Immunoreconstitution of T-cell impairments in asymptomatic male homosexuals by Thymic Humoral Factor (THF). Int. J. Immunopharmacol. 9 (1987) 165–173.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Lazzarin, A., Barcelini, W., Uberti Foppa, C., Borghi, M. O., Franzetti, F., Cinque, P., Moroni, M. Experiences with immunomodulant agents in HIV infections. Acta. Haemat. 78 (Suppl. 1) (1987) 84–90.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Div. of Infectious Diseases, General Hospital, Piazzale Solaro 3, I-2152, Busto Arsizio

    F. Maggiolo M. D., A. Taras M. D. & F. Suter M. D.

  2. Research and Development, Clinical Department, Pharmacia, Milan, Italy

    Maria Grazia Pravettoni M. D., Manuela Leone M. D. & Antonella Ingrosso M. D.

Authors
  1. F. Maggiolo M. D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Taras M. D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Suter M. D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Maria Grazia Pravettoni M. D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Manuela Leone M. D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Antonella Ingrosso M. D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Maggiolo, F., Taras, A., Suter, F. et al. Zidovudine and thymus humoral factor gamma-2 in the treatment of HIV infection: Preliminary clinical experience. Infection 25, 35–38 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02113505

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02113505

Keywords

Search

Navigation