Nutr Res Pract.  2011 Apr;5(2):112-116.

Effect of paternal folate deficiency on placental folate content and folate receptor alpha expression in rats

• Kim HW
• Choi YJ
• Kim KN
• Tamura T
• Chang N

Abstract

We investigated the effect of paternal folate status on folate content and expression of the folate transporter folate receptor alpha (FRalpha) in rat placental tissues. Rats were mated after males were fed a diet containing 0 mg of folic acid/kg of diet (paternal folate-deficient, PD) or 8 mg folic acid/kg of diet (paternal folate-supplemented, PS) for 4 weeks. At 20 days of gestation, the litter size, placental weight, and fetal weight were measured, and placental folate content (n = 8/group) and expression of FRalpha (n = 10/group) were analyzed by microbiological assay and Western blot analysis, respectively. Although there was no difference observed in litter size or fetal weight, but significant reduction (10%) in the weight of the placenta was observed in the PD group compared to that in the PS group. In the PD group, placental folate content was significantly lower (by 35%), whereas FRalpha expression was higher (by 130%) compared to the PS group. Our results suggest that paternal folate status plays a critical role in regulating placental folate metabolism and transport.

Keyword

Paternal folate status; placental folate; placental weight; folate receptor alpha

MeSH Terms

Animals
Blotting, Western
Diet
Fetal Weight
Folate Receptor 1
Folic Acid
Humans
Litter Size
Male
Placenta
Pregnancy
Rats
Folate Receptor 1
Folic Acid

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Fetal weights and placental weights in the paternal folate-supplemented and folate-deficient groups. (A) Fetal weight and (B) placental weight. The vertical lines represent the SEM. Numbers below the group names represent the number of animals. P values represent the significance of the differences among the groups (Student's t-test).

• 

  Fig. 2 Fetal liver folate contents, placental folate contents, and protein expression levels of FRα in the paternal folate-supplemented and folate-deficient groups. (A) Fetal liver folate content, (B) placental folate content, and (C) expression of FRα in the placenta. The vertical lines represent the SEM. P values represent the significance of the differences among the groups (Student's t-test).

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