Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41960837›Full record

ArticleJournal of biological rhythms2026

Fetoplacental Circadian Rhythms Develop and Then Synchronize to the Mother In Utero.

K L Nikhil, Keenan Bates, Elizabeth Sapiro, Jacob L Amme, Ron McCarthy, Sarah L Speck, Varun Vasireddy, Ethan Roberts, Carmel A Martin-Fairey, Miguel-E Domínguez-Romero and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of biological rhythms, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

K L NikhilDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.ORCID 0000-0003-1814-2069
Keenan BatesDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.ORCID 0000-0002-4600-2920
Elizabeth SapiroDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.ORCID 0009-0007-2095-7044
Jacob L AmmeDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.ORCID 0000-0002-6656-8403
Ron McCarthyDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.ORCID 0000-0001-5942-5968
Sarah L SpeckDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
Varun VasireddyDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
Ethan RobertsDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
Carmel A Martin-FaireyDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
Miguel-E Domínguez-RomeroDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.ORCID 0000-0003-0377-3247
Sandra P Cárdenas-GarcíaDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.ORCID 0000-0002-7001-4446
Sarah K EnglandDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.ORCID 0000-0003-4247-0281
Erik D HerzogDepartment of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.ORCID 0000-0001-7209-5174

Funding

Neuroscience Training Program at Washington UniversityT32NS121881 · NINDS · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI Martha W Bagnall, Daniel Kerschensteiner · 2021 to 2026
$3.1M
Circadian regulation of neocortexR01NS121161 · NINDS · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI Erik Herzog · 2022 to 2026
$1.9M
Functional Connectivity in the Circadian ClockR01NS139415 · NINDS · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI Erik Herzog · 2024 to 2026
$1.6M
NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS121161NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS139415NINDS NIH HHS T32 NS121881
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Circadian rhythms in gene expression and hormones are ubiquitous across species and differentiated cell types, yet their developmental origins remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine if daily rhythms can be detected in utero and if they synchronize to the mother. We developed methods to longitudinally monitor PERIOD2 (PER2), a core circadian clock protein, from embryonic day (E)8.5 to E17.5 by restricting PER2::LUCIFERASE expression to the mouse fetoplacental unit (fetus and fetal-derived tissues). In utero fetoplacental bioluminescence imaging showed that PER2 levels increased during pregnancy, with variable daily peak times that stabilized to early night by E15.5. Interestingly, pregnancies that did not exhibit daily in utero PER2 variation were more likely to fail. Because maternal glucocorticoids have been implicated in fetal development and synchronizing other circadian tissues, we tested whether glucocorticoid injections could shift fetoplacental PER2 rhythms in utero. Daily subcutaneous corticosterone injections over 5 days of late pregnancy phase-dependently shifted the fetoplacental PER2 rhythms in utero. Blocking glucocorticoid signaling in vitro reduced synchrony between maternal and fetal placenta. We conclude that in utero daily rhythms gradually develop and synchronize with the mother prior to birth, potentially through glucocorticoid signaling.

Indexed as

Circadian RhythmFetusPeriod Circadian ProteinsPlacentaAnimalsCorticosteroneFemaleGlucocorticoidsMicePregnancyCorticosteroneGlucocorticoidsPer2 protein, mousePeriod Circadian Proteinscircadian ontogenycircadian synchronyfetal rhythmsgestationglucocorticoidsin utero imagingmaternal-fetal communicationpregnancy

Identifiers

PMID41960837
PMCPMC13078692

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
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 Socratic graph.