Mitochondrial DNA origins of the Latvian clefting population.
Latvia has one of the highest prevalence of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) in Europe. To clarify the genetic origins of the Latvian cleft population and establish a method for genetic mapping, mitochondrial DNA variation was studied in a population affected with clefting. One-hundred and seven subjects and 351 samples from unrelated healthy volunteers representing four anthropologically, archaeologically and ethno-linguistically different regions of Latvia were selected. The case group showed a higher frequency of haplogroups U4 (p=0.02) and U5 (p=0.0003) than in non-U haplogroups. We hypothesize that U4 and U5 mtDNA haplotype carriers may also carry susceptibility genes for clefts. Future studies will take into consideration these definitions based on mtDNA haplotypes when analyzing genetic variations and their possible contribution to CL/P susceptibility.
University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Alexandre R
AR
Vieira
Liana
L
Pliss
Inese
I
Pelnena
Astrida
A
Krumina
Viesturs
V
Baumanis
Baiba
B
Lace
D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000235:genetics*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006801:Humans; D007844:Latvia
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial