At a glance
What is it—and why does it matter?
An introduction is not yet available. The findings below address specific research questions, not a complete account of this peptide.
This published profile is a reference in progress. Findings retain their source context; missing topics are marked below.
What is it?
A molecule, not a product name.
This profile does not yet contain a published summary for this topic. This is a coverage gap, not evidence that no research exists.
How does it work?
Target, response, and disposition.
Mechanism
Thymulin’s biological activity is zinc-dependent, requiring an equimolar zinc:thymulin ratio.
1 cited source · Study independence not established
How to read this evidence
Sources and study IDs describe provenance, not clinical strength. Several articles can report the same study; one study can support several distinct findings. No clinical strength rating has been assigned here.
1 cited passage across 1 source record. 1 publication group(s) lack a resolved study identity.
Evidence boundary: Applies only to the source-defined population, formulation, dose, and assessment period.
Exact passages, locators, and provenance
- supports · Source-backed record
“One of these peptides, thymulin, requires zinc in an equimolar ratio for biological activity.”
Interleukin 1 regulates secretion of zinc-thymulin by human thymic epithelial cells and its action on T-lymphocyte proliferation and nuclear protein kinase C. · Abstract
pubmed:1502195:1b7c6c3707bb:1b7c6c3707bb
What has been studied?
What the evidence says.
Study findings
Bovine pituitary extract is described as promoting zinc uptake in thymic epithelial cells in a proliferation-dependent manner only.
1 cited source · Study independence not established
How to read this evidence
Sources and study IDs describe provenance, not clinical strength. Several articles can report the same study; one study can support several distinct findings. No clinical strength rating has been assigned here.
1 cited passage across 1 source record. 1 publication group(s) lack a resolved study identity.
Evidence boundary: Applies only to the source-defined population, formulation, dose, and assessment period.
Exact passages, locators, and provenance
- supports · Source-backed record
“Two other stimulants of proliferation, bovine pituitary extract and epidermal growth factor, stimulate zinc uptake by TEC, but only in a manner dependent on proliferation.”
Interleukin 1 regulates secretion of zinc-thymulin by human thymic epithelial cells and its action on T-lymphocyte proliferation and nuclear protein kinase C. · Abstract
pubmed:1502195:1b7c6c3707bb:1b7c6c3707bb
Study findings
In cultured human thymic epithelial cells, IL-1α and IL-1β promote cellular zinc uptake.
1 cited source · Study independence not established
Animal or laboratory findings do not establish benefit or safety in people.
How to read this evidence
Sources and study IDs describe provenance, not clinical strength. Several articles can report the same study; one study can support several distinct findings. No clinical strength rating has been assigned here.
1 cited passage across 1 source record. 1 publication group(s) lack a resolved study identity.
Evidence boundary: Applies only to the source-defined population, formulation, dose, and assessment period.
Exact passages, locators, and provenance
- supports · Source-backed record
“Both the alpha and beta forms of IL-1, which stimulate proliferation of human TEC, also stimulate their uptake of zinc in vitro,”
Interleukin 1 regulates secretion of zinc-thymulin by human thymic epithelial cells and its action on T-lymphocyte proliferation and nuclear protein kinase C. · Abstract
pubmed:1502195:1b7c6c3707bb:1b7c6c3707bb
Study findings
Epidermal growth factor is described as increasing zinc uptake in thymic epithelial cells in a proliferation-dependent way.
1 cited source · Study independence not established
How to read this evidence
Sources and study IDs describe provenance, not clinical strength. Several articles can report the same study; one study can support several distinct findings. No clinical strength rating has been assigned here.
1 cited passage across 1 source record. 1 publication group(s) lack a resolved study identity.
Evidence boundary: Applies only to the source-defined population, formulation, dose, and assessment period.
Exact passages, locators, and provenance
- supports · Source-backed record
“Two other stimulants of proliferation, bovine pituitary extract and epidermal growth factor, stimulate zinc uptake by TEC, but only in a manner dependent on proliferation.”
Interleukin 1 regulates secretion of zinc-thymulin by human thymic epithelial cells and its action on T-lymphocyte proliferation and nuclear protein kinase C. · Abstract
pubmed:1502195:1b7c6c3707bb:1b7c6c3707bb
Study findings
In vivo, IL-1 increases thymic zinc uptake.
1 cited source · Study independence not established
How to read this evidence
Sources and study IDs describe provenance, not clinical strength. Several articles can report the same study; one study can support several distinct findings. No clinical strength rating has been assigned here.
1 cited passage across 1 source record. 1 publication group(s) lack a resolved study identity.
Evidence boundary: Applies only to the source-defined population, formulation, dose, and assessment period.
Exact passages, locators, and provenance
- supports · Source-backed record
“A previous study [Cousins, R. J. & Leinart, A. S. (1988) FASEB J. 2, 2884-2890] showed that interleukin 1 (IL-1) in vivo stimulates zinc uptake by the thymus.”
Interleukin 1 regulates secretion of zinc-thymulin by human thymic epithelial cells and its action on T-lymphocyte proliferation and nuclear protein kinase C. · Abstract
pubmed:1502195:1b7c6c3707bb:1b7c6c3707bb
Risks and interactions
Risks, organized for scanning.
This profile does not yet contain a published summary for this topic. This is a coverage gap, not evidence that no research exists.
Products and regulatory status
Same ingredient. Different records.
This profile does not yet contain a published summary for this topic. This is a coverage gap, not evidence that no research exists.
Administration context
The practical clinical context.
This profile does not yet contain a published summary for this topic. This is a coverage gap, not evidence that no research exists.
Research status + gaps
What still needs better answers?
- No publishable claim yet for: administration, contraindication, identity, interaction, regulatory, safety
- 7 compiled claim(s) withheld by automated assurance: assurance_score_below_0.58 (7), extraction_ambiguity (7), no_direct_support (7)
- A source-backed introductory overview is not yet available.
These are the limits of this profile, not an exhaustive list of scientific uncertainties.
References + discovery
Open the records yourself.
- Interleukin 1 regulates secretion of zinc-thymulin by human thymic epithelial cells and its action on T-lymphocyte proliferation and nuclear protein kinase C. ↗
pubmed · published 1992-08-15 · retrieved 2026-09-04T22:25:33Z
Publication history and provenance
Version 1 · Automated assessment · 2026-09-04T22:25:33Z
d9b57e4b7e65b4de29480cc7b9058521279f7ca751b767e502d3018367466a42