Human chorionic gonadotropin: a model molecule for oligopeptide-based drug discovery.

Small degradation products of proteins can have regulatory powers in biological systems. We have studied the role of selected oligopeptides derived from the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in several(patho)physiological systems. The employed oligopeptides (3 up to 7 amino acids) were designed according to the known nick sites in 'loop-2' of β-hCG.

Mild versus strong anti-inflammatory therapy during early sepsis in mice: a matter of life and death.

Objective: A recent literature-based study suggested that low-dose corticosteroid treatment has a beneficial effect on mortality in septic patients, whereas high-dose corticosteroid treatment has not. This suggests that mild down-regulation of the inflammatory response during early sepsis may be beneficial while extensive reduction of the inflammatory response is not. To investigate this hypothesis, we examined the effect of dexamethasone in varying doses on cecal ligation and puncture-induced inflammation and mortality.

The β-human chorionic gonadotropin-related peptide LQGV reduces mortality and inflammation in a murine polymicrobial sepsis model.

Objective: Mortality in sepsis remains high and efforts to modulate the inflammatory response so far mostly failed to improve survival. The human chorionic gonadotropin-related tetrapeptide LQGV was recently shown to exert anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of LQGV on cecal ligation and puncture-induced mortality and inflammation.

Synthetic human chorionic gonadotropin-related oligopeptides impair early innate immune responses to Listeria monocytogenes in Mice.

Background. Synthetic human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-related oligopeptides are potent inhibitors of pathogenic inflammatory responses induced by in vivo lipopolysaccharide exposure or hemorrhagic shock-induced injury. In this study, we tested whether hCG-related oligopeptide treatment similarly altered inflammatory responses and innate host defenses in mice during experimental Listeria monocytogenes infection.

Fluvastatin and perioperative events in patients undergoing vascular surgery.

Background: Adverse cardiac events are common after vascular surgery. We hypothesized that perioperative statin therapy would improve postoperative outcomes.

Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned patients who had not previously been treated with a statin to receive, in addition to a beta-blocker, either 80 mg of extended-release fluvastatin or placebo once daily before undergoing vascular surgery.

Amelioration of renal ischaemia-reperfusion injury by synthetic oligopeptides related to human chorionic gonadotropin.

Background: We have previously reported that small synthetic oligopeptides related to human beta-chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) can reduce inflammation. Here we investigated whether such oligopeptides can reduce renal ischaemia-reperfusion injury in the mouse.

Methods: Ten different oligopeptides were administered 1 min before induction of renal ischaemia and 1 min before reperfusion.

Chorionic gonadotropin alleviates thioglycollate-induced peritonitis by affecting macrophage function.

Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) is a hormone produced during pregnancy and present at the implantation site and in the maternal blood. Pregnancy has been proposed to represent a controlled state of inflammation at an early stage at the implantation site and later, systemically extended to the maternal circulation. Earlier, we reported that hCG can inhibit the development of diabetes in NOD mice and LPS-induced septic shock in a murine model.

Chorionic gonadotropin up-regulates long pentraxin 3 expression in myeloid cells.

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute-phase response protein that initiates innate immunity against diverse microorganisms. It is produced in response to proinflammatory stimuli by many cell types including myeloid cells. Increased serum levels of PTX3 are found in pregnancy, a condition characterized by increased serum levels of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

Synthetic oligopeptides related to the [beta]-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin attenuate inflammation and liver damage after (trauma) hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation.

Severe hemorrhagic shock (HS) followed by resuscitation induces a massive inflammatory response, which may culminate into systemic inflammatory response syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and, finally, death. Treatments that effectively prevent this inflammation are limited so far. In a previous study, we demonstrated that synthetic oligopeptides related to the primary structure of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) can inhibit the inflammatory response and mortality that follow high-dose LPS-induced inflammation.

Chorionic gonadotropin induces dendritic cells to express a tolerogenic phenotype.

The pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has been suggested to play an immunoregulatory role in addition to its endocrine function, thus contributing to the prevention of fetal rejection. We hypothesized that hCG is involved in the maternal-fetal immune tolerance by the regulation of dendritic cell (DC) function. Therefore, we studied the effect of hCG on DC maturation.

Chorionic gonadotropin can enhance innate immunity by stimulating macrophage function.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a placental glycoprotein, mainly secreted by trophoblasts during pregnancy. Its function in endocrine regulation has been well documented, but its immunological role is still largely unclear. For a successful pregnancy, an effective innate immunity is needed to protect the mother and fetus against infection, while maintaining tolerance against the paternal antigens of the fetus.

Inhibition of septic shock in mice by an oligopeptide from the beta-chain of human chorionic gonadotrophin hormone.

Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) is a heterodimeric placental glycoprotein hormone required in pregnancy. In human pregnancy urine and in commercial hCG preparations (c-hCG) it occurs in a variety of forms, including breakdown products. Several reports have suggested modulation of the immune system by intact hormone, but such effects of breakdown products have not been reported.