Sex differences in early and term placenta are conserved in adult tissues.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pregnancy complications vary based on the fetus's genetic sex, which may, in part, be modulated by the placenta. Furthermore, developmental differences early in life can have lifelong health outcomes. Yet, sex differences in gene expression within the placenta at different timepoints throughout pregnancy and comparisons to adult tissues remains poorly characterized.

Methods

Here, we collect and characterize sex differences in gene expression in term placentas (≥ 36.6 weeks; 23 male XY and 27 female XX). These are compared with sex differences in previously collected first trimester placenta samples and 42 non-reproductive adult tissues from GTEx.

Results

We identify 268 and 53 sex-differentially expressed genes in the uncomplicated late first trimester and

SUBMITTER: Olney KC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9773522 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature