Specific features in the pineal gland-thymus relationships during aging

Abstract

This review describes the interplay between the thymus and pineal gland during their involution connected with aging. The data of a few studies on the effects of thymus peptides on the pineal gland and pineal peptides on the thymus are consolidated. Analysis of these data demonstrates that pineal peptides (epithalamin and epithalon) have a more pronounced geroprotective effect on the thymus as compared with those of the thymus peptides (thymalin and thymogen) on the pineal gland. The key processes involved in the restoration of the thymus function in its age-related involution by epithalamin and epithalon are the immunoendocrine mechanisms implemented at the level of transcription activation of various proteins. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2011.