Human Chorionic Gonadotropin inhibits T cell-mediated liver damage and hepatocyte apoptosis by regulation of the forkhead transcription factor Foxo3a

Clinical symptoms of TH1-mediated autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and autoimmune hepatitis tend to improve in many patients during pregnancy. Chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), one of the major pregnancy hormones, can exert significant physiological actions in different nongonadal tissues. We investigated the effect of HCG in an autoimmune hepatitis model and on human hepatocytes. We show that HCG mediates survival of human hepatocytes by decreasing their apoptosis sensitivity and protect mice from hepatocellular damage in experimental hepatitis. The analysis of the responsible mecha…