Association Of Wnt3a Gene Variants With Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip With Or Without Cleft Palate In Chinese Population From North-west China

Background:Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCLP) is one of the most common birth defects all over the world. Both genetic and environmental factors may contribute to NSCLP. Recent studies have demonstrated that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is required for lip and palate formation. WNT family may play a role in development of NSCLP. This study aimed to analyze the association between Wnt3A gene polymorphisms and NSCLP in Chinese population from Northwest China.Methods:216 patients with NSCLP and 233 normal controls were genotyped for two SNPs of Wnt3A by PCR-RFLP. Both SNPs genotype frequencies were analyzed between cases group and controls group.Results:The frequencies of rs752107 TT, rs3121310 AA were significantly higher in NSCLP cases group (7.4%,15.3%) than that in controls group(2.1%,9.5%) with p=0.013,0.014 and with odds ratio (OR)=3.491 (95% confidence interval[CI]: 1.244-9.794), OR=2.267 (95% CI:1.173-4.379), respectively; the frequency of rs3121310 GA was also higher in NSCLP cases group (57.4%) than in controls group(52.0%) with p=0.042 and OR=1.556 (95% CI:1.015-2.387). And the frequency of rs752107 TT of Wnt3A showed higher risk in female patients, while the frequency of AA genotype of rs3121310 showed stronger association in male patients (except in CPO patients).Conclusions:It is the first report that two SNPs of Wnt3A (rs752107 and rs3121310) are significantly associated with NSCLP in Chinese population. These findings provide a context for understanding the genetic etiology of NSCLP.