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Updated: Aug 12, 2025
Preparation of Washed Human Platelets for Quantitative Metabolic Flux Studies
Published on: January 10, 2025
Platelets and endothelial dysfunction in gestational diabetes mellitus
Paola Valero1,2, Marcelo Cornejo1,2,3,4, Gonzalo Fuentes1,2,3
1Cellular and Molecular Physiology Laboratory (CMPL), Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Insights
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is linked to increased obesity and vascular dysfunction. This review explores how altered platelets contribute to fetoplacental vascular issues in GDM, impacting fetal development.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Vascular Biology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) prevalence is rising, coinciding with increased maternal obesity.
- GDM causes vascular dysfunction in the fetoplacental unit, affecting nutrient transfer and pregnancy outcomes.
- Endothelial dysfunction in GDM is recognized, but the role of other cells, like platelets, is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current findings on platelet alterations in GDM.
- To investigate the link between platelet characteristics and GDM-associated endothelial dysfunction.
- To propose a connection between platelet function, placental development, and fetoplacental vascular dysfunction in GDM.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating GDM, endothelial dysfunction, and platelet parameters.
- Synthesis of evidence on platelet volume, mass, reactivity, and function in GDM.
- Analysis of proposed mechanisms linking platelets to fetoplacental vascular pathology.
Main Results:
- Several studies suggest a relationship between platelet volume/mass and GDM.
- Platelet roles and signaling pathways in GDM-induced endothelial dysfunction remain unclear.
- Altered platelet quantity, size, and function may impact placental development and fetoplacental vasculature.
Conclusions:
- Platelets are implicated in GDM-associated endothelial dysfunction.
- Further research is needed to elucidate specific platelet mechanisms in GDM.
- Understanding platelet involvement could offer new insights into managing GDM complications.
Abstract:
The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has increased in recent years, along with the higher prevalence of obesity in women of reproductive age. GDM is a pathology associated with vascular dysfunction in the fetoplacental unit. GDM-associated endothelial dysfunction alters the transfer of nutrients to the foetus affecting newborns and pregnant women. Various mechanisms for this vascular dysfunction have been proposed, of which the most studied are metabolic alterations of the vascular endothelium. However, different cell types are involved in GDM-associated endothelial dysfunction, including platelets. Platelets are small, enucleated cell fragments that actively take part in blood haemostasis and thrombus formation. Thus, they play crucial roles in pathologies coursing with endothelial dysfunction, such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes mellitus. Nevertheless, platelet function in GDM is understudied. Several reports show a potential relationship between platelet volume and mass with GDM; however, platelet roles and signaling mechanisms in GDM-associated endothelial dysfunction are unclear. This review summarizes the reported findings and proposes a link among altered amount, volume, mass, reactivity, and function of platelets and placenta development, resulting in fetoplacental vascular dysfunction in GDM.
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