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Recent studies reveal that serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) might play a role in the aetiology of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The involvement of the serotonin transporter (SERT) and 5-HT_2A receptor (5-HT_2AR) in diabetes has also been suggested. However, placental SERT and 5-HT_2AR have never been studied in GDM-complicated pregnancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of GDM on the expression of both placental SERT and 5-HT_2AR. First, immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of SERT and 5-HT_2AR proteins in the villous trophoblast and the fetal capillary endothelium of normal term placental tissue. Protein and mRNA expression of SERT and 5-HT_2AR in the villous cytotrophoblastic and syncytiotrophoblastic cells was further confirmed in primary culture. A significantly (P < 0.05) decreased expression of SERT mRNA (56.3%) and protein (79.7%), and …