Differential levels of amino acid transporters System L and ASCT2, and the mTOR protein in placenta of preeclampsia and IUGR

Table 3 Association of AA Transporter, mTOR expression with Maternal Weight Gain and BMI

Protein/cellular localization^a	Weight gain/week of pregnancy				Pre-pregnancy BMI
Protein/cellular localization^a	< adequate	= or > adequate	P value	Trend^c(< → =/>)	Low	High	P value	Trend^c(low → high)
4F2hc	1.26 ± 0.51	1.03 ± 0.28	0.211	↓	1.11 ± 0.33	1.29 ± 0.59	0.22	↑
LAT1	1.07 ± 0.25	1.10 ± 0.27	0.791	nc	1.08 ± 0.25	1.09 ± 0.27	0.93	nc
ASCT2	1.12 ± 0.16	1.18 ± 0.14	0.855	nc	1.07 ± 0.15	1.17 ± 0.16	0.046*	↑
mTOR	1.18 ± 0.27	1.12 ± 0.27	0.537	nc	1.08 ± 0.31	1.26 ± 0.24	0.048*	↑
mvmASCT2^b	0.58 ± 0.19	0.58 ± 0.18	0.991	nc	0.64 ± 0.20	0.53 ± 0.18	0.107^c	↓

*Significant differences (p < 0.05) between low and high BMI groups (lower and upper 50%) was estimated by t-test.
^aProtein expression is the average of individual sample values, as described in Methods, sorted into each weight gain or BMI grouping (n = 15 for each).
^bmvmASCT2 refers to ASCT2 protein levels localized to the syncytiotrophoblast microvillous membrane.
^cTrend refers to an observed increase (↑), decrease (↓), or no change (nc) in protein expression between the weight gain or BMI groupings.

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