Association of the wnt3 variations and the risk of non-syndromic cleft lip and palate in a population of iranian infants

ABSTRACT

Background: Nonsyndromic cleft lip and/or palate [NSCL/P] is the most common orofacial birth defect, often attributed to ethnic and environmental differences. Up to now, linkage analyses and genome-wide association studies have identified several genomic susceptibility regions for NSCL/P. The WNT genes including WNT3 are strong candidates for NSCL/P, since they are involved in regulating mid-face development and upper lip fusion. This study tested association of the WNT3 polymorphisms, rs- 3809857 G/T and rs9890413 G/A, with the risk of NSCL/P in a population of Iranian infants