Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40849439›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Deep genome sequencing reveals extensive genetic heterogeneity in early human placentas.

Ieva Miceikaite, Christina Fagerberg, Charlotte Brasch-Andersen, Pernille M Torring, Britta Schlott Kristiansen, Qin Hao, Lene Sperling, Martin J Larsen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing 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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Genetic susceptibility to respiratory health effects from outdoor air pollution: a structured narrative review.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2026
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Medizinische Genetik : Mitteilungsblatt des Berufsverbandes Medizinische Genetik e.V · 2026
    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

8 authors.

Ieva MiceikaiteHuman Genetics Unit, Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. imiceikaite@mgh.harvard.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5188-7647
Christina FagerbergHuman Genetics Unit, Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5206-4327
Charlotte Brasch-AndersenHuman Genetics Unit, Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4273-0047
Pernille M TorringDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7303-7619
Britta Schlott KristiansenDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-9261-0475
Qin HaoDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6775-2181
Lene SperlingCenter for Fetal Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Martin J LarsenHuman Genetics Unit, Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. martin.larsen@rsyd.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4107-8771

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Placental biopsy in early pregnancy is widely used in prenatal genetic diagnostics as a surrogate for fetal tissue. Confined placental chromosomal mosaicism is a well-documented phenomenon causing genetic discrepancies between the fetus and placenta. Although comprehensive sequencing methods are becoming popular for prenatal screening of monogenic disorders, knowledge of concordance between the fetus and early placenta at the sequence level remains limited. By deep genome sequencing, we have mapped the mutational landscape across multiple sites and stages of placental development. We have revealed wide-spread mutations, with distinct clusters of postzygotic non-fetal small sequence variants, indicating extensive clonal evolution in all early placental biopsies, including first-trimester chorionic villus samples. Our study illuminates spatial and temporal genetic heterogeneity of the developing placenta. While most clonal sequence variants in placental biopsies exhibit low variant allele frequency, their presence underscores the need for caution when using placental tissue as a fetal proxy for diagnostics. These findings highlight the importance of confirmatory testing using AF in cases where placental mosaicism is suspected to avoid misinterpretation and unnecessary interventions.

Indexed as

Genetic HeterogeneityPlacentaFemaleGene FrequencyGenome, HumanHigh-Throughput Nucleotide SequencingHumansMosaicismMutationPregnancyPregnancy Trimester, FirstPrenatal DiagnosisWhole Genome Sequencing

Identifiers

PMID40849439
PMCPMC12374992

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Registered trials

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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.