title: Relationship between folate transporters expression in human placentas at term and birth weights.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adequate folate levels are essential for successful pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to study the relationship between placental mRNA and protein levels of folate transporters to birth weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  Placental folate transporters (FOLR1, RFC1 and HCP1/PCFT) mRNA and protein levels in basal (BP) and chorionic plate (CP) of small (SGA), appropriate (AGA) and large (LGA) for gestational age term infants (≥37 weeks gestation, n = 111) were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FOLR1 and HCP1/PCFT mRNA were lower in both plates of SGA and LGA placentas compared to AGA (p < 0.01) and RFC1 mRNA was lower only in CP (p < 0.02). RFC1 protein levels were lower in BP of SGA (p < 0.05) and LGA (p < 0.01), and FOLR1 protein levels were lower in CP of SGA (p < 0.02) and LGA (p < 0.01) groups compared to AGA. HCP1/PCFT protein levels remained unchanged in all groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Placentas of SGA and LGA groups showed a reduced mRNA expression and protein levels of folate transporters, with some differences depending on the location within the placenta (BP or CP). This suggests the presence of specific placental regulation mechanisms in gene expression that may be associated to birth weight.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Nutrición y Regulación Metabólica, Unidad de Nutrición Humana, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Universidad de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caviedes
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Materno-Infantil (IDIMI), División Ciencias Médicas Centro, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iñiguez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Nutrición y Regulación Metabólica, Unidad de Nutrición Humana, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Universidad de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Materno-Infantil (IDIMI), División Ciencias Médicas Centro, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Nutrición y Regulación Metabólica, Unidad de Nutrición Humana, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Universidad de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castaño
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Nutrición y Regulación Metabólica, Unidad de Nutrición Humana, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Universidad de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Llanos
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Nutrición y Regulación Metabólica, Unidad de Nutrición Humana, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Universidad de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Nutrición y Regulación Metabólica, Unidad de Nutrición Humana, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA), Universidad de Chile, Chile. Electronic address: amronco@inta.uchile.cl.
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ronco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058972:Folic Acid Transporters / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047929:Term Birth / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D058972:Folic Acid Transporters
keywords: Birth weight; FOLR1; Gene expression of folate transporters; HCP1/PCFT; Placenta; RFC1