ABSTRACT
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.
