Comparison of peripheral blood mononuclear cells viability in healthy pregnant women and patients with gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance of variable severity with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Immunopathology of GDM is not well known, Different parameters of cellular immunity particularly leukocyte count and subset have been reported. Considering the importance of the immune system, particularly peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes, the aim of this study was to investigate viability of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with GDM in comparison with healthy pregnant women. During a case -control study 37 pregnant women with GDM and 37 healthy pregnant women in gestational age28-36 week were recruited. Fasting venous blood was collected from all subjects. PBMC was separated from ficoll density-gradient centrifugation. Cells were suspended in culture medium RPMI 1640, 10% FBS and cultured in the absence and presence of PHA in 96-well plate(1* 106 cells/ml) at 370C 5% CO2 for 48h. Cell viability was assessed with MTT assay. Stimulation index was calculated and compared between groups. There was no significant difference in age, body mass index, and gestational week in the two groups. Stimulation index of PBMC in GDM and control groups, respectively were 134.37 ±23.6 and 135.2± 31.5. There was no significant difference in stimulation index of PBMC in GDM women compared to their matched control subjects. These results show that there was no significant difference in peripheral blood mononuclear cell's viability in GDM women compared to healthy pregnant women.