Genetic variants in COL2A1, COL11A2, and IRF6 contribute risk to nonsyndromic cleft palate.

Background: Orofacial clefts are among the most common birth defects with a strong genetic component. Nonsyndromic cleft palate (NSCP) is a complex malformation determined by the interaction between multiple genes and environmental risk factors.

Methods: We conducted a case-control association study to investigate the role of 40 candidate genes in predisposition to orofacial clefting.