Problem
Little is known about how preeclampsia affects regulatory T‐cell count and functions in umbilical cord blood of babies born to preeclamptic mothers. Here, we analyze the percentage of CD4+ CD25high FOXP3+, CD4+ CD25low FOXP3+, and CD4+ FOXP3+ Tregs, in the umbilical cord blood of babies born to mothers with and without preeclampsia.
Method of study
The percentage of umbilical cord blood CD4+ CD25high FOXP3+, CD4+ CD25low FOXP3+, and CD4+ FOXP3+ Tregs were analyzed by flow cytometry.
Results
CD4+ CD25high FOXP3+ Treg (%) and CD4+ FOXP3+ Treg (%) were significantly lower, while CD4+ CD25low (%) was significantly higher in umbilical cord blood of babies born to preeclamptic mothers.
Conclusion
Preeclampsia is associated with immune dysregulation which leads to a deficiency in Treg (CD4+ CD25high FOXP3+) in the umbilical cord blood of babies born to preeclamptic mothers.