Screening for ARHGAP29 gene variants in Turkish paediatric patients with non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate

Objective: In this study, we aimed to screen for Rho GTPase-activating protein 29 gene (ARHGAP29) variants in Turkish paediatric patients with non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (nsCL/P). Methods: Our study comprised 80 nsCL/P patients and 125 unrelated Turkish individuals. Molecular analysis of the ARHGAP29 variants was carried out using polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct sequencing. Results: In this study, rs141866812, rs143877998, rs147752270, rs141653334, rs149136237, rs374087471, rs144585524 and rs201618253 single nucleotide polymorphisms in exons 2, 21 and 23 of ARHGAP29 were screened in patients with nsCL/P and in the control group. Mutations in the ARHGAP29 gene, which were previously identified in patients with nsCL/P of different ethnicities, were not observed in the Turkish patients. Conclusion: This is the first report investigating ARHGAP29 variants in Turkish patients with nsCL/P.