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Background: Peri-implantitis is a chronic inflammation, resulting in loss of supporting bone around implants. Chronic periodontitis is a risk indicator for implant failure. Both diseases have a common etiology regarding inflammatory destructive response. BRINP3 gene is associated with aggressive periodontitis. However, is still unclear if chronic periodontitis and peri-implantitis have the same genetic background. The aim of this work was to investigate the association between BRINP3 genetic variation (rs1342913 and rs1935881) and expression and susceptibility to both diseases. Methods: Periodontal and peri-implant examinations were performed in 215 subjects, divided into: healthy (without chronic periodontitis and peri-implantitis, n = 93); diseased (with chronic periodontitis and peri-implantitis, n = 52); chronic periodontitis only (n = 36), and peri-implantitis only (n = 34). A replication sample of 92 subjects who lost implants and 185 subjects successfully treated with implants were tested. DNA was extracted from buccal cells. Two genetic markers of BRINP3 (rs1342913 and rs1935881) were genotyped using TaqMan chemistry. Chi-square (p<0.05) compared genotype and allele frequency between groups. A subset of subjects (n = 31) had gingival biopsies harvested. The BRINP3 mRNA levels were studied by CT method (2δδCT). Mann-Whitney test correlated the levels of BRINP3 in each group (p<0.05). Results: Statistically significant association between BRINP3 rs1342913 and peri-implantitis was found in both studied groups (p<0.04). The levels of BRINP3 mRNA were significantly higher in diseased subjects compared to healthy individuals (p<0.01). Conclusion: This study provides evidence that the BRINP3 polymorphic variant rs1342913 and low level of BRINP3 expression are associated with peri-implantitis, independently from the presence of chronic periodontitis.

Aquaporins (AQP) are water channel proteins and the genes coding for AQP2, AQP5, and AQP6 are clustered in 12q13. Since AQP5 is expressed in serous acinar cells of salivary glands, we investigated its involvement in caries. DNA samples from 1,383 individuals from six groups were studied. Genotypes of eight single nucleotide polymorphisms covering the aquaporin locus were tested for association with caries experience. Interaction with genes involved in enamel formation was tested. The association between enamel microhardness at baseline, after creation of artificial caries lesion, and after exposure to fluoride and the genetic markers in AQP5 was tested. Finally, AQP5 expression in human whole saliva, after exposure to fluoride in a mammary gland cell line, which is known to express AQP5, and in Wistar rats was also verified. Nominal associations were found between caries experience and markers in the AQP5 locus. Since these associations suggested that AQP5 may be inhibited by levels of fluoride in the drinking water that cause fluorosis, we showed that fluoride levels above optimal levels change AQP5 expression in humans, cell lines, and rats. We have shown that AQP5 is involved in the pathogenesis of caries and likely interacts with fluoride.

Background: Congenital forms of hearing impairment can be caused by mutations in the estrogen related receptor beta (ESRRB) gene. Our initial linkage studies suggested the ESRRB locus is linked to high caries experience in humans.Methods: We tested for association between the ESRRB locus and dental caries in 1,731 subjects, if ESRRB was expressed in whole saliva, if ESRRB was associated with the microhardness of the dental enamel, and if ESRRB was expressed during enamel development of mice.Results: Two families with recessive ESRRB mutations and DFNB35 hearing impairment showed more extensive dental destruction by caries. Expression levels of ESRRB in whole saliva samples showed differences depending on sex and dental caries experience.Conclusions: The common etiology of dental caries and hearing impairment provides a venue to assist in the identification of individuals at risk to either condition and provides options for the development of new caries prevention strategies, if the associated ESRRB genetic variants are correlated with efficacy. © 2014 Weber et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Background: There is evidence for a genetic contribution to chronic periodontitis. In this study, we conducted a genome wide association study among 866 participants of the University of Pittsburgh Dental Registry and DNA Repository, whose periodontal diagnosis ranged from healthy (N = 767) to severe chronic periodontitis (N = 99).Methods: Genotypingi of over half-million single nucleotide polymorphisms was determined. Analyses were done twice, first in the complete dataset of all ethnicities, and second including only samples defined as self-reported Whites. From the top 100 results, twenty single nucleotide polymorphisms had consistent results in both analyses (borderline p-values ranging from 1E-05 to 1E-6) and were selected to be tested in two independent datasets derived from 1,460 individuals from Porto Alegre, and 359 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Meta-analyses of the Single nucleotide polymorphisms showing a trend for association in the independent dataset were performed.Results: The rs1477403 marker located on 16q22.3 showed suggestive association in the discovery phase and in the Porto Alegre dataset (p = 0.05). The meta-analysis suggested the less common allele decreases the risk of chronic periodontitis.Conclusions: Our data offer a clear hypothesis to be independently tested regarding the contribution of the 16q22.3 locus to chronic periodontitis. © 2014 Feng et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Background: Our previous genome-wide linkage scan mapped five loci for caries experience. The purpose of this study was to fine map one of these loci, the locus 13q31.1, in order to identify genetic contributors to caries.Methods: Seventy-two pedigrees from the Philippines were studied. Caries experience was recorded and DNA was extracted from blood samples obtained from all subjects. Sixty-one single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 13q31.1 were genotyped. Association between caries experience and alleles was tested. We also studied 1,481 DNA samples obtained from saliva of subjects from the USA, 918 children from Brazil, and 275 children from Turkey, in order to follow up the results found in the Filipino families. We used the AliBaba2.1 software to determine if the nucleotide changes of the associated SNPs changed the prediction of the presence of transcription-binding site sequences and we also analyzed the gene expression of the genes selected based on binding predictions. Mutation analysis was also performed in 33 Filipino individuals of a segment of 13q31.1 that is highly conserved in mammals.Results: Statistically significant association with high caries experience was found for 11 markers in 13q31.1 in the Filipino families. Haplotype analysis also confirmed these results. In the populations used for follow-up purposes, associations were found between high caries experience and a subset of these markers. Regarding the prediction of the transcription-binding site, the base change of the SNP rs17074565 was found to change the predicted-binding of genes that could be involved in the pathogenesis of caries. When the sequence has the allele C of rs17074565, the potential transcription factors binding the sequence are GR and GATA1. When the subject carries the G allele of rs17074565, the potential transcription factor predicted to bind to the sequence is GATA3. The expression of GR in whole saliva was higher in individuals with low caries experience when compar

Objective: Considering that oral clefts and tooth dimensions may be part of the same phenotypic spectrum, the aim of this study was to investigate tooth dimensions in permanent dentition and dental malformations, including tooth size discrepancies, of subjects born with clefts compared with individuals without clefts. Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: The cleft group was composed of 66 subjects, and the noncleft group consisted of 66 healthy unrelated subjects. Main Outcome Measures: The mesio-distal and buccal-lingual crown diameter of fully erupted permanent teeth outside the cleft area was measured using a digital caliber. Clinical records and radiographs were used to evaluate the type of clefts and dental anomalies. Results: The lower second premolar was significantly reduced in the CLP and CP groups. The upper lateral incisor was found to be significantly smaller in the CP group, only for mesio-distal dimensions (P<.05). Dental agenesis was found in eight (12%) cleft subjects and supernumerary teeth in two (3%). Conclusions: Subjects born with oral clefts presented size reduction in specific dental groups. © Copyright 2013 American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess if children with clefts have an increased caries experience. Methods: Caries data was collected via clinical examination of 115 4- to 21-year-olds with clefts and 230 controls. Cleft type was confirmed through their medical records and fluoride exposure history; oral hygiene habits and dietary history were obtained though a questionnaire. Results: The adherence to the preventive oral health habits (toothbrushing, use of fluoride, and dietary factors) were not different among groups excluding the use of dental floss. The mean DMFT was 1.20 (±1.8 SD) for the cleft group and 0.90 (±1.8) for the control group. There was no significant difference in the DMFT scores between children with clefts and the control group (P=.16). The mean dmft was 1.68 (±2.1) for the cleft group and 2.61 (±2.9) for the control group. The prevalence of dental caries in primary teeth was significantly lower in the cleft-affected children vs the control group (P=.02).The percentage of caries-free individuals was similar in cleft and control groups (P=.90), and was also similar in different cleft types (P=.67). Conclusion: Caries experience in children born with clefts is not higher in comparison to control children.

There is evidence for a genetic component in caries susceptibility, and studies in humans have suggested that variation in enamel formation genes may contribute to caries. For the present study, we used DNA samples collected from 1,831 individuals from various population data sets. Single nucleotide polymorphism markers were genotyped in selected genes (ameloblastin, amelogenin, enamelin, tuftelin, and tuftelin interacting protein 11) that influence enamel formation. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between groups with distinct caries experience. Associations with caries experience can be detected but they are not necessarily replicated in all population groups and the most expressive results was for a marker in AMELX (p = 0.0007). To help interpret these results, we evaluated if enamel microhardness changes under simulated cariogenic challenges are associated with genetic variations in these same genes. After creating an artificial caries lesion, associations could be seen between genetic variation in TUFT1 (p = 0.006) and TUIP11 (p = 0.0006) with enamel microhardness. Our results suggest that the influence of genetic variation of enamel formation genes may influence the dynamic interactions between the enamel surface and the oral cavity. © 2012 Shimizu et al.

Previous evidence from tooth agenesis studies suggested IRF6 and TGFA interact. Since tooth agenesis is commonly found in individuals with cleft lip/palate (CL/P), we used four large cohorts to evaluate if IRF6 and TGFA interaction contributes to CL/P. Markers within and flanking IRF6 and TGFA genes were tested using Taqman or SYBR green chemistries for case-control analyses in 1,000 Brazilian individuals. We looked for evidence of gene-gene interaction between IRF6 and TGFA by testing if markers associated with CL/P were overtransmitted together in the case-control Brazilian dataset and in the additional family datasets. Genotypes for an additional 142 case-parent trios from South America drawn from the Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECLAMC), 154 cases from Latvia, and 8,717 individuals from several cohorts were available for replication of tests for interaction. Tgfa and Irf6 expression at critical stages during palatogenesis was analyzed in wild type and Irf6 knockout mice. Markers in and near IRF6 and TGFA were associated with CL/P in the Brazilian cohort (p<10-6). IRF6 was also associated with cleft palate (CP) with impaction of permanent teeth (p<10-6). Statistical evidence of interaction between IRF6 and TGFA was found in all data sets (p = 0.013 for Brazilians; p = 0.046 for ECLAMC; p = 10-6 for Latvians, and p = 0.003 for the 8,717 individuals). Tgfa was not expressed in the palatal tissues of Irf6 knockout mice. IRF6 and TGFA contribute to subsets of CL/P with specific dental anomalies. Moreover, this potential IRF6-TGFA interaction may account for as much as 1% to 10% of CL/P cases. The Irf6-knockout model further supports the evidence of IRF6-TGFA interaction found in humans. © 2012 Letra et al.

Recent evidence suggests that genetic studies may contribute to a better understanding of individual susceptibility to caries. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors have been suggested to be involved in the caries process. The purpose of this study was to determine if polymorphisms in MMP2 (rs243865), MMP9 (rs17576), MMP13 (rs2252070), and TIMP2 (rs7501477) were associated with caries. Eligible unrelated children and adolescents were evaluated using a cross-sectional design. Data on oral health habits was obtained through a questionnaire and caries data was collected by clinical examination. Genotyping of the selected polymorphisms was carried out by real-time PCR. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between individuals with and without caries experience. Of 505 subjects, 212 were caries-free and most subjects (61.2%) had mixed dentition. Allele frequency of MMP2, MMP13 and TIMP2 was different between caries-affected and caries-free individuals, with significant association for MMP13 (p = 0.004). Mutant allele carriers for MMP13 demonstrated a significantly decreased risk for caries (OR = 0.538, 95% CI 0.313-0.926); this result remained significant after adjustment for candidate genes, type of dentition and dietary factors. Allelic and genotype frequencies of the polymorphism in MMP9 were similar in caries-affected and caries-free individuals. Genetic variations in MMP13 may contribute to individual differences in caries susceptibility. Our findings reinforce that susceptibility to caries results from gene-environment interactions. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Matrix metalloproteinases play an important role during the initial process of enamel development and therefore may play a role in caries. Objectives: To evaluate the association between MMP20 and caries experience in Brazilian children. Methods: Eligible unrelated children with or without caries were evaluated using a cohort design. Demographic data and oral health habits were obtained though a questionnaire. Caries data was collected by clinical examination. Genotyping of the selected polymorphism was carried out by real-time PCR from genomic DNA. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between groups with distinct caries experience and oral health habits. Results: Of 388 subjects, 161 were caries free children. There were no differences between caries levels and genotype distribution in the total cohort. When ethnic background was considered, differences in genotype distribution were observed in caries free children vs. children with caries in Caucasians (p = 0.03). Differences could also be seen when poor oral hygiene was used to stratify the analysis (p = 0.02). Regression analysis, adjusted for genotype and ethnicity, confirmed that ingestion of sweets between meals increases the risk of presenting carious lesions (p = 0.00001; OR = 2.33; 95%CI 1.53-3.54). Conclusion: Variation in MMP20 may be associated with caries experience mainly in Caucasian subjects with poor oral health habits. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Objective: To assess whether individuals born with nonsyndromic oral clefts display a higher frequency of dental anomalies. Design: A search of MEDLINE, BIREME, OVID ALL EMB Reviews, and The Cochrane Library was conducted. The methodologic quality of the papers selected was assessed and scored. Papers reporting observational controlled studies of nonsyndromic forms of oral cleft matched for dental anomalies in primary and/or permanent teeth were included without language restrictions. Eligible studies were scored as "A" - low risk of bias, "B" - moderate risk of bias, or "C" - high risk of bias and poor quality. Fixed and random effects models were used to aggregate individual odds ratios (OR) and to derive pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Six studies fulfilled our selection criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Three distinct subgroup analyses were carried out in terms of dental anomalies. In the tooth agenesis meta-analysis, a random effects model was used because of heterogeneity and showed a significant association between tooth agenesis and oral clefts (OR = 12.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.75 to 40.36). In the remaining analyses, the fixed effects model revealed a positive association between supernumerary (OR = 4.99; 95% CI, 2.58 to 9.64) and crown morphologic abnormalities (OR = 5.69; 95% CI, 3.96 to 8.19) with oral clefts. Most included studies were of low to moderate quality. Conclusion: Although general limitations in study design were observed, the evidence suggests that a higher number of dental anomalies in the permanent dentition are noted in individuals born with oral clefts.

Objective: To assess the association between nonsyndromic (NS) cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL(P)) and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the CRISPLD2 gene (cysteine-rich secretory protein LCCL domain containing 2). Design: Four SNPs within the CRISPLD2 gene domain (rs1546124, rs8061351, rs2326398, rs4783099) were genotyped to test for association via family-based association methods. Participants: A total of 5826 individuals from 1331 families in which one or more family member is affected with CL(P). Results: Evidence of association was seen for SNP rs1546124 in U.S. (p = .02) and Brazilian (p = .04) Caucasian cohorts. We also found association of SNP rs1546124 with cleft palate alone (CP) in South Americans (Guatemala and ECLAMC) and combined Hispanics (Guatemala, ECLAMC, and Texas Hispanics; p = .03 for both comparisons) and with both cleft lip with cleft palate (CLP; p = .04) and CL(P) (p = .02) in North Americans. Strong evidence of association was found for SNP rs2326398 with CP in Asian populations (p = .003) and with CL(P) in Hispanics (p = .03) and also with bilateral CL(P) in Brazilians (p = .004). In Brazilians, SNP rs8061351 showed association with cleft subgroups incomplete CL(P) (p = .004) and unilateral incomplete CL(P) (p = .003). Prediction of SNP functionality revealed that the C allele in the C471T silent mutation (overrepresented in cases with CL(P) presents two putative exonic splicing enhancer motifs and creates a binding site AP-2 alpha, a transcription factor involved in craniofacial development. Conclusions: Our results support the hypothesis that variants in the CRISPLD2 gene may be involved in the etiology of NS CL(P).

Objective: The aim of this work was to investigate in more detail the dental clinical features that could serve to define subphenotypes of oral clefts. Design: Dental records of oral cleft subjects from a group of 164 cases were examined, and 157 were included in this study. In addition, 65 families with two or more siblings born with clefts and 30 control families were evaluated to determine whether dental phenotypes were sporadic. Type of oral cleft and dental phenotypes (tooth agenesis, supernumerary teeth, taurodontism, dental transposition, and microdontia) outside the cleft area were investigated. Association of dental anomalies with preferential subtypes of cleft (subphenotype) was assessed. Results: A total of 74 subjects presented at least one developmental dental anomaly. Tooth agenesis was the most common dental anomaly (28.6%), followed by taurodontism (15.2%). Supernumerary teeth were associated with cleft palate only (p = .05). The absence of maxillary left lateral incisors was significantly associated with unilateral right cleft lip (p = .02). Bilateral clefts were strongly associated with bilateral dental anomalies (p < 0.001). In the cleft lip and palate group, tooth agenesis was associated with dental transposition (p = .03) and with supernumerary teeth (p = .009). Subjects with oral clefts have a higher risk of tooth agenesis (odds ratio = 3.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.18 to 10.13) and taurodontism (odds ratio = 3.95; 95% confidence interval, 2.28 to 6.82). Tooth agenesis, microdontic upper lateral incisors, and supernumerary teeth were most commonly found in unaffected siblings and parents of children born with clefts in comparison with families with no family history of clefts (p = .01). Conclusion: The preferential associations between specific cleft types with dental phenotypes suggest dental anomalies can be used as clinical markers to define the subphenotype isolated cleft lip and palate.

The presence of supernumerary teeth (ST) is a dental developmental anomaly of patterning and morphogenesis. Its variability of morphology, location and developmental timing can shed light on its etiology. In this work we report ST patterns. Orthopantomograms of 1,166 pediatric subjects were examined and the morphology, location and timing of the formation of ST were determined. The frequency of supernumerary teeth in the studied population was 2.3% (n = 27). Twenty-five subjects presented one ST. Maxilla midline was the most commonly affected region (nine cases). We noted high incidence of conical morphology in the midline region. Only teeth with tuberculate morphology presented delayed formation. ST in the midline region occurred more often in males whereas ST in the incisor region were more common in females. In conclusion, ST patterns vary depending on gender.

Objective: Variations in genes that are critical for tooth formation may contribute to the tooth agenesis. MMPs are potential candidate genes for dental alterations based on the roles they play during embryogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between MMP1, MMP3, and MMP20 and tooth agenesis. Methods: One hundred sixty-seven nuclear families from two different populations were analysed, 116 from Brazil and 51 from Turkey. Probands had at least one congenitally missing tooth. DNA samples were obtained from blood or saliva samples and genotyping was performed using TaqMan chemistry. In addition, Mmp20 was selected for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis with SYBR Green I Dye in mouse tooth development. Results: Associations between tooth agenesis and MMP1 (p = 0.007), and MMP20 (p = 0.03) were found in Brazilian families. In the total dataset, MMP20 continued to be associated with tooth agenesis (p = 0.01). Mmp20 was not expressed during the initial stages of tooth development. Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence that MMP1 and MMP20 play a role in human tooth agenesis. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cleft lip/palate is a defect of craniofacial development. In previous reports, chromosome 6q has been suggested as a candidate region for cleft lip/palate. A multipoint posterior probability of linkage analysis of multiplex families from the Philippines attributed an 88% probability of harboring a cleft-susceptibility gene to a narrower region on bands 6q14.2-14.3. We genotyped 2732 individuals from families and unrelated individuals with and without clefts to investigate the existence of possible cleft-susceptibility genes in this region. We found association of PRSS35 and SNAP91 genes with cleft lip/palate in the case-control cohort and in Caucasian families. Haplotype analyses support the individual associations with PRSS35. We found Prss35 expression in the head and palate of mouse embryos at critical stages for palatogenesis, whereas Snap91 was expressed in the adult brain. We provide further evidence of the involvement of chromosome 6q in cleft lip/palate and suggest PRSS35 as a novel candidate gene. © International & American Associations for Dental Research.

Background: Clefts of the lip and/or palate (cleft lip/palate) are notable for their complex etiology. The WNT pathway regulates multiple developmental processes including craniofacial development and may play a role in cleft lip/palate and other defects of craniofacial development such as tooth agenesis. Variations in WNT genes have been recently associated with cleft lip/palate in humans. In addition, two WNT genes, Wnt3 and Wnt9B, are located in the clf1 cleft locus in mice. Methods: We investigated 13 SNPs located in Wnt3A, Wnt5A, Wnt8A, Wnt11, Wnt3, and Wnt9B genes for association with cleft lip/palate subphenotypes in 463 cleft cases and 303 unrelated controls. Genotyping of selected polymorphisms was carried out using Taqman assays. PLINK 1.06 software was used to test for differences in allele frequencies of each polymorphism between affected and unaffected individuals. Haplotype analysis was also performed. Results: Individuals carrying variant alleles in WNT3 presented an increased risk for cleft lip/palate (p = 0.0003; OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.29-2.02) in the population studied. Conclusion: Our results continue to support a role for WNT genes in the pathogenesis of cleft lip/palate. Although much remains to be learned about the function of individual WNT genes during craniofacial development, additional studies should focus on the identification of potentially functional variants in these genes as contributors to human clefting. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Cleft lip/palate comprises a large fraction of all human birth defects, and is notable for its significant lifelong morbidity and complex etiology. Several studies have shown that genetic factors appear to play a significant role in the etiology of cleft lip/palate. Human chromosomal region 9q21 has been suggested in previous reports to contain putative cleft loci. Moreover, a specific region (9q22.3-34.1) was suggested to present a ∼45% probability of harboring a cleft susceptibility gene. Fine mapping of 50 SNPs across the 9q22.3-34.11 region was performed to test for association with cleft lip/palate in families from United States, Spain, Turkey, Guatemala, and China. We performed familybased analyses and found evidence of association of cleft lip/ palate with STOM(rs306796) in Guatemalan families (P = 0.004) and in all multiplex families pooled together (P = 0.002). This same SNP also showed borderline association in the US families (P = 0.04). Under a nominal value of 0.05, other SNPs also showed association with cleft lip/palate and cleft subgroups. SNPs in STOM and PTCH genes and nearby FOXE1 were further associated with cleft phenotypes in Guatemalan and Chinese families. Gene prioritization analysis revealed PTCH and STOM ranking among the top fourteen candidates for cleft lip/palate among 339 genes present in the region. Our results support the hypothesis that the 9q22.32-34.1 region harbors cleft susceptibility genes. Additional studies with other populations should focuson these loci to further investigate the participation of these genes in human clefting. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Human linkage and association studies suggest a gene(s) for nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) on chromosome 4q31-q32 at or near the platelet-derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C) locus. The mouse Pdgfc-/- knockout shows that PDGF-C is essential for palatogenesis. To evaluate the role of PDGF-C in human clefting, we performed sequence analysis and SNP genotyping using 1048 multiplex CL/P families and 1000 case-control samples from multiple geographic origins. No coding region mutations were identified, but a novel -986 C>T SNP (rs28999109) was significantly associated with CL/P (P=0.01) in cases from Chinese families yielding evidence of linkage to 4q31-q32. Significant or near-significant association was also seen for this and several other PDGF-C SNPs in families from the United States, Spain, India, Turkey, China, and Colombia, whereas no association was seen in families from the Philippines, and Guatemala, and case-controls from Brazil. The -986T allele abolished six overlapping potential transcription regulatory motifs. Transfection assays of PDGF-C promoter reporter constructs show that the -986T allele is associated with a significant decrease (up to 80%) of PDGF-C gene promoter activity. This functional polymorphism acting on a susceptible genetic background may represent a component of human CL/P etiology.

BACKGROUND: AXIN2 and CDH1 genes play important roles during craniofacial morphogenesis. Mutations in these genes have been described in families presenting colorectal cancer and tooth agenesis, and gastric cancer and cleft lip/palate (CL/P). Oral clefts have been associated with tooth agenesis. We investigated if AXIN2 and CDH1 polymorphisms were associated with clefts or with any associated dental subphenotypes. METHODS: Markers in AXIN2 and CDH1 were genotyped using Taqman chemistry in a sample cohort comprised of 500 cleft individuals and 500 unrelated controls. RESULTS: Comparison between cleft and control groups showed a trend for association for AXIN2 with incomplete cleft palate (p = .006) and CDH1 with unilateral CL/P (p = .03 for left CL/P and p = .04 for right CL/P). Comparison of cleft subphenotypes with tooth agenesis and controls revealed borderline associations for CDH1 (p = .008) and AXIN2 (p = .01) with unilateral right CL/P with tooth agenesis. CONCLUSIONS: We observed only borderline results for the association of AXIN2 and CDH1 with CL/P with and without tooth agenesis. Nevertheless, implication of these genes in the simultaneous occurrence of CL/P and cancer, and in tooth agenesis and cancer, is rather intriguing and warrants further investigations with other geographic and ethnic populations. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Individuals with clefts present considerably more dental anomalies than do individuals without clefts. We used dental development to subphenotype clefts with the goal of identifying cleft subgroups that could have specific genetic contributions. We examined 1000 individuals, 500 with clefts and 500 without. We used several clinical features, such as cleft completeness or incompleteness, laterality, and the presence of dental anomalies to assess each individual's cleft status. We performed chi-square and Fisher's exact tests to compare the frequencies of observed anomalies between individuals with and individuals without clefts, and among individuals with different cleft subphenotypes. Agenesis of the lateral incisor on the non-cleft side was the most remarkable observation, and may suggest that such cases could be considered incomplete forms of bilateral clefts of the lip.