Progesterone suppresses interferon signaling by repressing TLR-7 and MxA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients infected with hepatitis C virus.

This study aimed at investigating the effect of progesterone on interferon signaling pathways in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). PBMCs were isolated from peripheral blood of 38 treatment-naïve HCV-infected patients, pooled, and stimulated with progesterone in the presence and absence of its receptor antagonist, mifepristone, along with interferon alpha (IFN-α) or imiquimod. Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) were quantified in PBMCs using RT-qPCR.