Genetic risk variants for orofacial clefts

Author(s)

Luciano Abreu Brito

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB)
• Defense date: 2016-04-12

Examining board members

Maria Rita dos Santos e Passos Bueno; Roseli Maria Zechi Ceide; Regina Celia Mingroni Netto; Alexandre da Costa Pereira; Maria Dulcetti Vibranovski

• Advisor: Maria Rita dos Santos e Passos Bueno

Abstract

Orofacial clefts (or cleft lip/palate) are congenital malformations with high prevalence in population (∼1:700 births). Among the orofacial cleft types, an etiologically distinct group is composed by cleft lip with or without cleft palate, which, in 70% of cases, is not accompanied by other malformations (nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate, NSCL/P). NSCL/P presents complex etiology, often with multifactorial inheritance. Although important, the genetic contribution to NSCL/P is still poorly comprehended, and the susceptibility loci that have been associated with NSCL/P do not explain the totality of the disease\'s heritability. In light of this, our aim was to investigate risk variants for NSCL/P by means of different strategies. With exome sequencing for NSCL/P familial cases, we report that the epithelial cadherin-encoding gene contributes with rare, moderate-to-high risk variants to NSCL/P etiology. In addition, we suggest an etiological contribution of genes laying in planar cell polarity pathway, or involved with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cell adhesion, cell cycle regulation, and interaction with microtubules. Using structured association approach, we narrowed the associated interval of 8q24 region in a Brazilian population, and also validated the association for 20q12. Finally, by combining association analysis with eQTL mapping, we found association of regulatory variants of MRPL53, in 2p13, with NSCL/P. In conclusion, this study contributes with a deeper comprehension of the etiological role of rare and common variants for NSCL/P (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/23416-2 - A genomic analysis to comprehend the genetic mechanisms of cleft lip and palate in Brazilian population
• Grantee: Luciano Abreu Brito
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate