Fig. 1

Body weight (a), foetal number (b), and foetal/placental weight ratio (c, eutrophic groups; d, groups fed a leucine-rich diet) in pregnant rats of different experimental groups. Legend: Control (C), Leucine (L), Walker tumour-bearing rats (W), tumour-bearing rats fed a leucine-rich diet (LW), ascitic fluid-injected rats (A) and ascitic fluid-injected rats fed a leucine-rich diet (LA). The results are expressed as the mean and standard error. * P < 0.05 accounted by tumour effect, two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni testing, n = 10. Graphic C shows individual data corresponding to foetal and placenta tissues obtained from each rat in each group; the C group curve has a slope of 2.61 slope for 74 analysed points. The W group curve has a slope of 16.7 for 32 analysed points and is significant (P < 0.05) based on two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni testing (n = 10). The A group curve has a slope of 0.92 for 38 analysed points. By linear regression analysis, it showed significant difference between slopes, F = 39.7, P < 0.0001. Graphic D shows individual data corresponding to foetal and placenta tissues obtained from each rat in each group; the L group curve has a slope of 0.70 for 87 analysed points. The LW group curve has a slope of 1.55 for 33 analysed points. The LA group curve has a slope of 2.07 for 36 analysed points. Linear regression analysis showed no difference among slopes (F = 0.19, P = 0.819)