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. 2013 Feb 7;9(2):e1003153. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003153

Figure 1. SLC38A1 and SLC38A2 mRNA expression in syncytiotrophoblast and relationship to birthweight.

Figure 1

Expression of mRNA for the amino acid transporters SLC38A1 and SLC38A2 was quantified in the laser-captured syncytiotrophoblast of placental biopsies by real time qPCR and expressed normalized to the housekeeping gene YWHAZ. A. SLC38A1 mRNA expression in placental malaria (PM) with intervillositis (IV; n = 21) was lower than in uninfected placentas (n = 21; p = 0.008). SLC38A1 transcript levels in placental malaria without intervillositis (n = 11) were intermediate and similar to that in uninfected placentas (p = 0.46) and to that in infected placentas with IV (p = 0.23). A similar profile was observed for SLC38A2 mRNA expression comparing expression in infected placentas with IV and uninfected placentas. B. Placentas from infants born with a low birthweight (regardless of infection status; n = 7) had lower SLC38A1 (p = 0.017) but similar SLC38A2 (p = 0.39) transcript levels compared to those born with a normal birthweight (n = 46). Data shown were obtained in an experiment run in triplicate.