EFFECT OF HUMAN CHORIONIC-GONADOTROPIN (HCG) ON REVERSE-TRANSCRIPTASE ACTIVITY IN HIV-1 INFECTED LYMPHOCYTES AND MONOCYTES

The majority of infants born to HIV-positive mothers are not infected in utero, suggesting that the pregnancy factors produced by fetal trophoblasts may provide protection against HIV-1 infection. Except for steroid female hormones, little is know of other pregnancy factors that may regulate either resistance or susceptibility to HIV-1. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) - the major glycoprotein produced by the placental trophoblast throughout the pregnancy - was tested on reverse transcriptase activity in HIV-infected ACH-2 lymphocytes and U1 monocytes. The results suggest that low non-cytotoxic doses of hCG (0.01-1.0 IU range) may inhibit viral replication in maternal blood cells.