Estrogen protects against postpartum Concanavalin A-induced hepatitis by promoting intrahepatic CD4⁺CD25⁺ Treg expansion through activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in HBV-Tg mice.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Postpartum hepatitis flares have been commonly described, but the specific mechanism is unclear.

Objectives

Our objective was to explore estrogen's role in postpartum hepatitis flares in HBV transgenic mice.

Methods

The numbers of intrahepatic CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and the levels of the inhibitory cytokine IL-10 were determined in concanavalin A (Con A)-injected mice with and without estrogen injection postpartum. The role of intrahepatic CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺Tregs in suppressing immune responses was investigated by systemically depleting intrahepatic CD25⁺ cells in mice treated with an anti-CD25 mAb. We employed the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 to investigate the funct

SUBMITTER: Xu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12273371 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature