NONSYNDROMIC CLEFT-LIP AND PALATE - NO EVIDENCE OF LINKAGE TO HLA OR FACTOR-13A

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CLP) is a common craniofacial anomaly, the etiology of which is not known. Population s tudies have shown that a large proportion of cases occur sporadically. Recently, segregation analyses applied to CLP families have demonstra ted that an autosomal dominant/codominant gene(s) may cause clefting i n cases. Associations of autosomal dominant CLP and nonsyndromic cleft palate (CP) with HLA and F13A genes on chromosome 6p have been sugges ted previously. Linkage to these two areas on chromosome 6p were teste d in 12 autosomal dominant families with CLP. With a LOD score of -2 o r less for exclusion, no evidence of linkage was found to four chromos ome 6p markers. Multipoint analysis showed no evidence of a clefting l ocus in this region spanning 54 cM on chromosome 6p in these CLP famil ies.