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The immune system is a complex network of specialized organs, glands
and cells which when working properly protect the body from pathogens such
as virus, bacteria, fungus and foreign tissue such as cancer. This system
is composed of two basic sub-systems, the Humoral and the Cellular or
Cell Mediated. These two sub-systems have different methods of defending
the body from disease. The Humoral side uses chemical warfare (antibodies)
to defeat invading pathogens. Cell Mediated Immunity employs shock troops
(T-cells) to attack and kill invaders. This is the body’s mechanism for
immune response to specific virus and cancer.
B-lymphocytes (B-cells) and T-lymphocytes (T-cells) are sub populations
of white blood cells and are the soldiers used by the immune system. B-cells
are the antibody producers used in Humoral Immunity, and T-cells are the
shock troops used in Cell Mediated Immunity. They are all born in the bone
marrow, but they mature differently. B-cells mature in the bone marrow,
hence the B for bone marrow. T-cells are matured by proteins produced by
the thymus gland, hence the T for thymus.
Both sides of the Immune System must function properly in order for
the body to have an optimum Immune Response to invading pathogens. In fact,
B-cells will react quicker, proliferate, expand clonally and produce an
antibody response more efficiently in the presence of a T-cell response.
So it could be said that T-cells divide B-cells to an extent.
Central to beginning the immune response is activation of the T-4 lymphocyte
(helper cell). Activation takes place when the T-4 cell recognizes the
antigen displayed by an invading pathogen. Once activated the T-4 cell
produces Interleukin and Interferon proteins also called lymphokines or
cytokines, but more simply defined as immune proteins. These immune proteins
in turn activate or program T-8 lymphocytes (killer cells). When the killer
cell is programmed, it is programmed to find and kill the specific antigen
producing pathogen. Additionally, the activated T-4 cell causes B-cells
to produce antibodies more efficiently.
However, before the T-4 cell can recognize the antigen, and begin this
cascade of events, which keep us healthy, it must first receive its programming
from the thymus gland.
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THE FUNCTION
OF THE THYMUS
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The thymus gland is a ductless gland located just beneath the breast
bone. It produces proteins or factors, which program T-lymphocytes. This
organ has long been known, but its critical function in the immune system
was only discovered about 30 years ago. It is only the past 20 years with
advances in cellular biology and development of genetic engineering that
the vital importance of thymus proteins is beginning to be understood.
Over the past few years, scientists have discovered properties of specific
thymic proteins. The research has been conducted over decades by scientists
studying cancer, and has accelerated in recent years with the growth in
the number of people with AIDS. This area of study is important to AIDS
research because the HIV virus infects T-cells, specifically the T-4 cell.
A number of factors affect normal thymic function. The most common factor
is age. Just through the aging process, normal thymus function diminishes
beginning at birth, and normally by age 40 to 45, a person has little or
no active thymus protein production left. Other known factors which will
accelerate thymus atrophy are exposure to radiation, chemicals, chronic
disease or trauma. Perhaps most importantly, common viral infections such
as Chicken Pox, Measles or Epstein-Barr virus which otherwise may have
little or no clinical manifestation may in fact impair thymic activity
to such an extent as to make a person more likely to develop cancer.
HIV also affects the thymus gland. Production of thymic protein is drastically
reduced within weeks of an HIV infection thereby inhibiting the T-4 cells
from starting the immune response. Untreated, HIV infection will result
in suppression of immune response to even the most common pathogen. Immune
suppression can be recognized by other manifestations as well.
IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION
and SUPPRESSION
There are some sixty-five million Americans who suffer from a dysfunctioning
immune system. Among the manifestations of this disorder are a variety
of diseases:
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Autoimmune disease such as arthritis, asthma, allergy, lupus,
diabetes, and chronic respiratory problems are caused by immune dysfunction.
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Chronic viral infection, chronic fatigue, Epstein-Barr virus, AIDS, and
cancer may also result from immune suppression.
The Immune System is so complex in its relationships to organs, glands
and cells, immune dysfunction and suppression can have a number of different
causes. The thymus gland plays such a pivotal and important role in generating
and regulating immune response, a deficiency of the thymus by aging, disease,
radiation, chemicals, chronic disease, or trauma, etc., will cause immune
dysfunction and /or suppression to occur.
Physicians have always treated deficiencies involving the thyroid gland,
the pancreas, adrenal gland, etc. with physiologic replacements. Indeed
the theory has been, "If a gland dries up, replace it". So, why not replace
thymus proteins when the thymus gland dries up?
A CASE FOR REPLACEMENTS
Extracts of thymus generally consist of whole thymus gland, which is
ground and dried or strained into liquid and administered in capsules or
in sublingual drops.
By the very nature of how these extracts are processed, the resultant
Product is a conglomeration of thymus tissue, cell debris, fragments
of thymus proteins and thymus by products.
These extracts have been available for years and have shown some small
level of effectiveness in treating various immune deficiencies and some
specific medical conditions. In fact, one such fragmented thymus protein,
Thymosin has been approved as an adjuvant treatment for Hepatitis B in
China.
Extracts contain fragmented thymic peptides. They are only slightly
effective because they are fragments. To attain full effectiveness, a protein
must have specific shape, which has exact transmitter and receptor sites.
Only a whole protein molecule would be expected to have full biological
activity.
It is therefore logical that since supplying whole thymus in a processed
and fragmented form helps people with thymus deficiencies, it would be
much more effective to supply a purified whole thymus protein which is
biologically active.
PURIFIED THYMUS PROTEIN
An immunologist has patented a technology whereby he can grow thymus
cells in a laboratory and from the product of the cell's metabolism, purify
a specific thymus protein. It has been proven in laboratory and animal
experiments that this specific thymus protein is the protein which causes
the T-4 lymphocyte to mature, thereby initiating a specific cell mediated
immune response.
This specific protein has been assayed chemically and in animal models
for the production of Interleukin 2. Interleukin 2 production by T-4 cells
is the benchmark measurement for T-cell maturity and initiation of immune
response. The protein is routinely tested in a rat model for the suppression
of flu virus, which further demonstrates the initiation of the cascade
of events which results in immune response to specific pathogen (Cell Mediated
Immune Response).
A trial with 22 cats infected with Feline Immunodefficiency Virus (FIV)
concluded that this protein enhances immune response as measured by clinical
and laboratory parameters. Immune response is demonstrated by response
to infectious agents measured in the blood, diminished disease symptoms,
survival, and lymphocyte values.
An experiment published in The Journal of Immunology and Immunopathology
in 1984 proved that this protein is conserved among species. The experiment
was to transplant human thymus cells, which produce this protein, into
renal capsule (kidney) of athymic (nude) mice. Because the mice have no
thymus, they have no immunity and must be kept in a sterile environment.
After the transplant, the mice demonstrated immune response outside
the sterile environment and did not exhibit any rejection of the transplanted
human tissue. This demonstrated that the protein induced cell mediated
immunity in the mice and the restored immune system of the mice did not
recognize the transplant as foreign.
If the protein from the human tissue "looked" foreign to the mouse immune
system, there would be massive immune response to that tissue. The absence
of rejection proves that the human thymus protein is identical or so nearly
identical to the mouse thymus protein that it is accepted "as self". Being
conserved among species is important because ingesting foreign protein
can cause an antibody response, and in time cause the foreign protein to
have no effect on the immune response.
Biopro Protein -A-
Marketed exclusively by 4 Life Research as ThyRx™
Biopro Protein -A- is the result of 23 years of research. It has proven
to be a powerful immune stimulant in extensive laboratory and animal experiments.
Through a patented process, it is derived from live cells, then purified
and therefore is an intact native molecule which has biological activity
and is conserved among species.
Biopro Protein-A- is scientifically proven to be the thymus protein
which programs the T-4 Lymphocyte (T-4 helper cell).
By age 40 to 45, most people lack proper thymus function, and therefore
they lack complete immune function. You can replace this vital thymus protein
by using Biopro Protein-A- everyday.
In fact Biopro Protein-A- was proven as an immune stimulant and viral
suppressor in laboratory tests conducted by the National Institutes of
Health. No other thymus product or extract has been proven to perform these
functions because they are all fragmented or incomplete, while Biopro Protein-A-
is the only thymus product which is a whole biomolecule and is conserved
among species.
CASE STUDIES
Here are some examples of customer case studies, which serve to illustrate
what happens when Cell Mediated Immunity is stimulated by Biopro Protein-A-
(BPA). These are examples of people who have cancer and full blown AIDS.
Some were receiving traditional cancer therapy without results, then
they added BPA and began achieving results in a short period of time. One
of these people (Phil) is using only BPA and no other therapy. These human
results are consistent with results from existing lab and animal tests.
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Karen - Diagnosed with disseminated oat cell carcinoma.
In August of 1993 the cancer was found in the lung and 18 lymph nodes.
She received an aggressive course of chemotherapy and radiation, and used
Biopro. Nine months after diagnosis she achieved complete remission.
As of November 1996, she is more than two years into her complete remission,
cancer free and in excellent health.
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Chris - Recurrent breast cancer metastasis to the liver with multiple
lesions. When she began using Biopro, she had been receiving Taxol and
carboplatin for nine weeks. Her after Biopro immune panel shows a dramatic
increase in CD4 helper and CD8 killer cells. As of April 1996, she has
had a complete tumor regression and is in good health.
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Phil - Discovered Prostate Cancer in late 1995, and has charted
his PSA since. In March 1996, his PSA began to accelerate its rise. He
began use of Biopro in April 1996, and in a two week period, he has experienced
a drop in PSA from 21 to 14. Phil is using Biopro and no other therapy
for his condition.
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Richard - Six months after treatment for thymoma (thymus
cancer), an x-ray revealed a suspicious consolidation described as possible
recurrence. After six weeks of Biopro, a second x-ray shows the disappearance
of the consolidation with no evidence of recurrent carcinoma.
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Jerry - Adenocarcinoma of the lung. Jerry was being treated with
navelbine and carboplatin for two months before adding Biopro. His case
study indicates reduction in tumor marker and tumor regression after Biopro
was added.
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Michael - There are blood tests documenting an increase in CD4 cells
from 183 to 319, and a reduction in P24 antigen count from 89 to below
12 over the course of one year. Michael is HIV positive and was
in full blown AIDS and suffering candida and lung infections when
he began using Biopro in November 1994. His clinical health is currently
asymptomatic for opportunistic disease as of April 1996.
REFERENCES:
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Beardsley, Hays. Gross Murine Leukin Virus induced alterations
in the thymus of preleukimic AKR Mice. American Association of Cancer-
Research, Vol. 39 pp. 480-486, February 1979.
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Beardsley, Hays, etal. Induction of T-cell maturation by
a cloned line of thymic epithelium (TEPI), Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences USA Vol. 80 pp. 6005-6009, October 1983.
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Bonyhadi ML et al. "HIV Induces Thymus Depletion In Vivo",
Nature,1993 June 24, 363(6431):728-32.
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Hays SM et al. – "Thymic Involution in Viable Motheaten Mice",
Dev Immunology 1992; 3(3): 191-205.
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Hays, Beardsley. Immunologic Effects of Human Thymic Stromal
Grafts and Cell Lines. 1984 Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology
33: 381
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Beardsley, Swain, and Dutton. Mechanisms of Lymphocyte
Activation, (Resch and Kirchner. Eds.). p.384. Elsiever/North-Holland.
Amsterdam, 1981
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