Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40281071›Full record

ArticleCommunications biology2025

Transcriptomic sex differences in early human fetal brain development.

Federica Buonocore, Jenifer P Suntharalingham, Olumide K Ogunbiyi, Aragorn Jones, Nadjeda Moreno, Paola Niola, Tony Brooks, Nita Solanky, Mehul T Dattani, Ignacio Del Valle and 1 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Communications biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. The Association of Preterm Birth With Autism Spectrum Disorder.Biological psychiatry global open science · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Federica BuonocoreGenetics and Genomic Medicine Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1EH, UK. f.buonocore@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8274-7241
Jenifer P SuntharalinghamGenetics and Genomic Medicine Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8897-7697
Olumide K OgunbiyiDepartment of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 3JH, UK.
Aragorn JonesBiosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4255-2482
Nadjeda MorenoDevelopmental Biology and Cancer Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Paola NiolaUCL Genomics, Zayed Centre for Research, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1DZ, UK.
Tony BrooksUCL Genomics, Zayed Centre for Research, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1DZ, UK.
Nita SolankyDevelopmental Biology and Cancer Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Mehul T DattaniGenetics and Genomic Medicine Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0365-5809
Ignacio Del Valle *Genetics and Genomic Medicine Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2595-3652
John C Achermann *Genetics and Genomic Medicine Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8787-6272

Funding

Wellcome Trust (Wellcome) 209328/Z/17/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The influence of sex chromosomes and sex hormones on early human brain development is poorly understood. We therefore undertook transcriptomic analysis of 46,XY and 46,XX human brain cortex samples (n = 64) at four different time points between 7.5 and 17 weeks post conception (wpc), in two independent studies. This developmental period encompasses the onset of testicular testosterone secretion in the 46,XY fetus (8wpc). We show differences in sex chromosome gene expression including X-inactivation genes (XIST, TSIX) in 46,XX samples; core Y chromosome genes (n = 18) in 46,XY samples; and two Y chromosome brain specific genes, PCDH11Y and RP11-424G14.1. PCDH11Y (protocadherin11 Y-linked) regulates excitatory neurons; this gene is unique to humans and is implicated in language development. RP11-424G14.1 is a long non-coding RNA. Fewer differences in sex hormone pathway-related genes are seen. The androgen receptor (AR, NR3C4) shows cortex expression in both sexes, which decreases with age. Global cortical sex hormone effects are not seen, but more localized AR mechanisms may be important with time (e.g., hypothalamus). Taken together, our data suggest that limited but potentially important sex differences occur during early human fetal brain development.

Indexed as

BrainFetal DevelopmentGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalSex CharacteristicsTranscriptomeFemaleFetusGene Expression ProfilingHumansMale

Identifiers

PMID40281071
PMCPMC12032161

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.