Genetic and non-genetic factors that increase the risk of non-syndromic cleft lip and/or palate development

• Published in: Oral diseases Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 393 - 399
• Main Authors: Bezerra, JF, Oliveira, GHM, Soares, CD, Cardoso, ML, Ururahy, MAG, Neto, FPF, Lima-Neto, LG, Luchessi, AD, Silbiger, VN, Fajardo, CM, de Oliveira, SR, Almeida, M das G, Hirata, RDC, de Rezende, AA, Hirata, MH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-04-2015; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase - genetics; Adolescent; Adult; alcohol consumption; Alcohol Drinking; Birth defects; Brain - abnormalities; Case-Control Studies; Child; Cleft Lip - genetics; cleft lip and/or palate; Cleft Palate - genetics; Female; Ferredoxin-NADP Reductase - genetics; folic acid; Folic Acid - blood; gene polymorphisms; Gene-Environment Interaction; Genetics; Homocysteine - blood; Humans; Male; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) - genetics; Oral diseases; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Genetic; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - genetics; Replication Protein C - genetics; Young Adult; Brazil, Rio Grande do Norte; cleft lip and/or palate; alcohol consumption; folic acid; gene polymorphisms
• ISSN: 1354-523X; 1601-0825
• DOI: 10.1111/odi.12292

Objectives
We investigated the relationship between non‐syndromic cleft lip/palate (NSCLP) and polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase (MTR), methionine synthase reductase (MTRR), and RFC1, as well as the corresponding interactions with environmental factors.
Subjects and Methods
One hundred and forty NSCLP patients and their mothers, as well as 175 control individuals and their mothers, were recruited. Information regarding smoking and alcohol consumption was recorded. Blood samples were obtained in order to measure serum folate and cobalamin, as well as, plasma total homocysteine concentrations and to extract DNA. Polymorphisms in MTHFR(677C>T and 1298A>C), MTR(2756A>G), MTR(66A>G), and RFC1(80A>G) were analyzed by PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism.
Results
Among the patients, 59.5% had cleft lip and palate, 22.0% had cleft palate, and 18.5% had cleft lip only. Maternal alcohol consumption and reduced folic acid concentrations in both children and mothers (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively) were risk factors for NSCLP. Patients and their mothers carrying the MTHFR 667T allele showed lower serum folate than CC (P = 0.011 and P = 0.030, respectively). Mothers who carried the MTHFR 1298C allele exhibited increased risk of having a child with NSCLP, after adjusting for alcohol consumption (OR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.03–2.99, P = 0.038).
Conclusions
Reduced folic acid levels, alcohol consumption, and the MTHFR 677T and 1298C alleles may have contributed to NSCLP development in this sample population from Rio Grande do Norte.