Thymogen

Thymogen is a synthetic dipeptide with the sequence Glu-Trp (L-glutamyl-L-tryptophan, EW; formula C16H19N3O5, molecular weight 333.34 g/mol, CAS 38101-59-6), among the shortest compounds in the Khavinson bioregulator series. Its D-enantiomeric counterpart has been described in the literature as having opposite immunological activity, making the pair an example of chirality-dependent peptide activity. The EW dipeptide has also been identified as one of the active components of a thymus polypeptide extract.

Thymogen in the research literature

In the THP-1 monocyte/macrophage cell line, Thymogen was among several short peptides reported to increase tyrosine phosphorylation of mitogen-activated kinases and to reduce LPS-stimulated TNF and IL-6 expression. In LPS-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, EW reduced IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α synthesis, and docking modeled its binding to a GGAG double-stranded DNA sequence.

In endothelial cell culture and rat aorta ex vivo, the EW dipeptide showed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity and blocked angiotensin I-induced vasoconstriction. A spleen study reported that Thymogen activated B-cell markers, with reduced apoptosis and increased proliferation of spleen cells.