Placental gene expression data from human fetuses with isolated spina bifida and fetuses with no congenital anomalies

Fetal spina bifida can associate with reduced fetal growth. However, little is known about placental development and function in pregnancies with fetal spina bifida, despite that the placenta is a critical regulator of fetal growth. We used data from a case-control study to determine how the placental transcriptome differs in fetuses with isolated spina bifida (cases), compared to fetuses without any congenital anomalies (controls). Pregnant people carrying a fetus with isolated SB (cases) or a fetus with no congenital anomalies (controls) were recruited at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto. Clinical data and placental samples were collected. Placental transcriptome profiles for mRNA, lncRNA and miRNA were determined for the following samples: preterm (PT) controls (n=12; fetuses with no congenital anomalies, born preterm), controls (n=9; fetuses with no congenital anomalies born full-term), and cases (n=12; fetuses with isolated spina bifida). The Clariom D microarray (human) and the GeneChip® WT Pico Kit were used and two batches were run: controls and cases in September 2020, and PT controls in September 2021. Raw expression files (.CEL files) were processed in Transcription Analysis Console software (version 4.0.2). Data were summarised using the signal space transformation algorithm and normalised using the robust multiple-array average method.