Analysis of Variation In Clubfoot Candidate Genes

Isolated clubfoot, a common birth defect occurring in more than 135,000 livebirths worldwide each year, is associated with significant health care and financial burdens. Clubfoot is defined by forefoot adduction, hindfoot varus, midfoot cavus and hindfoot equinus. Isolated clubfoot, which is the focus of these studies, is distinct from syndromic clubfoot because there are no other associated malformations. Population, family, twin and segregation analysis studies provide evidence that genetic and environmental factors play an etiologic role in isolated clubfoot. <em>The studies described in this thesis were performed to define the role of genetic variation in isolated clubfoot.</em> Interrogation of a deletion region associated with syndromic clubfoot, suggested that <em>CASP8</em> and <em>CASP10</em>, two apoptotic genes, play a role in isolated clubfoot. To explore the role of apoptotic genes in clubfoot, SNPs spanning genes involved in the apoptotic pathway in the six chromosomal deletion regions, and limb patterning genes, <em>HOXD</em> and <em>HOXA</em>, were interrogated. SNPs in mitochondrial mediated apoptotic genes and several SNPs in <em>HOXA</em> and <em>HOXD</em> genes were modestly associated with clubfoot with the most significant SNP, rs3801776, located in the basal promoter of <em>HOXA9</em>. Several significant associations were found with SNPs in <em>NFAT2</em> and <em>TNIP2</em>. Significant gene interactions were detected between SNPs in <em>HOX</em> and apoptotic genes. These findings suggest a model for clubfoot in which variation in one gene is not sufficient to cause the malformation but requires variation several genes to perturb protein expression sufficiently to alter muscle and foot development. <strong>These results significantly impact our knowledge base by delineating underlying mechanisms causing clubfoot.</strong>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation (PhD)

Year dc:date.available

2010

Author dc:creator

• Ester, Audrey R

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jacqueline T. Hecht, PhD
• Hope Northrup, MD
• Gil Cote, PhD

• genotyping
• clubfoot
• complex disease
• limb development
• Genetics
• Molecular Genetics

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/utgsbs_dissertations/7

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu:utgsbs_dissertations-1026