Immune checkpoint molecules on T cell subsets of pregnancies with preeclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus

Abstract Immune checkpoint molecules may play a crucial role in safeguarding pregnancy by regulating immune responses at the maternal-fetal interface. In this study, we aim to investigate the expression of PD-1, GITR, HLA-G, and CTLA-4 on T cell subsets in peripheral blood (PB), retroplacental blood (RPB), and cord blood (CB) in normal pregnancy (NP), preeclampsia (PE) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). PB, RPB, and CB were collected immediately after delivery, and the expression of PD-1, GITR, HLA-G, and CTLA-4 on T cell subsets were measured by flow cytometric analysis. The proportions of Tregs in PB, RPB, and CB from NP were significantly higher than those of PE and GDM (P