Consistency between chromosomal status analysis of biopsied human blastocyst trophectoderm cells and whole blastocyst cells

Reprod Med Biol. 2021 Jun 23;20(4):444-450. doi: 10.1002/rmb2.12400. eCollection 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigated the consistency between results of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy performed on trophectoderm (TE) cells and remaining blastocyst cells.

Methods: TE biopsy was performed on 29 surplus cryopreserved human blastocysts. Biopsy samples and remaining blastocysts were processed using the VeriSeq PGS kit, and chromosomal statuses were compared by next-generation sequencing.

Results: Discordance was observed in the chromosomal status of 11 out of 29 blastocysts between the biopsied TE and remaining blastocysts. Concordance was observed in 11 of 12 blastocysts classified as euploid by TE biopsy and in 7 of 17 blastocysts classified as aneuploid. There was 100% concordance (7/7) in cases diagnosed as aneuploid with no mosaicism by TE biopsy. However, discordance was observed in all 10 cases showing mosaicism or partial chromosomal abnormality.

Conclusion: Chromosomal status analysis based on TE biopsy does not accurately reflect the chromosomal status of the whole blastocyst. The chromosomal status is usually the same between the TE and remaining blastocyst cells in cases diagnosed as euploid or aneuploid with no mosaicism. However, mosaic blastocysts and those with other types of structural rearrangements have a higher risk of inconsistency, warranting caution during embryo selection.

Keywords: mosaicism; next‐generation sequencing; preimplantation genetic testing; trophectoderm; whole embryo.