title: Potential Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sjögren Syndrome With Human Chorionic Gonadotropin.
abstract: Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Sjögren syndrome (SS) ameliorate during pregnancy, through dampening (immunotolerance) of the maternal immune system which protects the fetus from rejection. A large number of studies have shown that human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) contributes to this tolerance. Studies on animal models have reaffirmed that hCG treatment mimics the benefits of pregnancy. Based on the scientific evidence, randomized clinical trials comparing hCG with current therapies and/or placebo are recommended for RA, SS, and for other autoimmune diseases such as, type 1 diabetes and ankylosing spondylitis, which also get better during pregnancy and hCG treatment seems to help.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Molecular and Human Genetics and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproduction and Development Program, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA crao@fiu.edu.
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin
keywords: Sjögren syndrome; autoimmune diseases; cells of the immune system; fetal rejection; human chorionic gonadotropin; immunotolerance; pregnancy; rheumatoid arthritis