Identification of a novel mutation of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-C (PDGFC) gene in a girl with Non-Syndromic cleft lip and palate

Background: Cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/CP) is a prevalent congenital malformation. Approximately 16 candidate loci for CL/CP have been identified in both animal models and humans through association or genetic linkage studies. One of these loci is the platelet-derived growth factor-C (PDGFC) gene. In animal models, a mutation in the PDGFC gene has been shown to lead to CL/CP, with PDGF-C protein serving as a growth factor for mesenchymal cells, playing a crucial role in embryogenesis during the induction of neural crest cells. In this study, we present the identification of a novel frameshift mutation in the PDGFC gene, which we hypothesize to be associated with CL/CP, within a consanguineous Iranian family. Case presentation: The proband was a 3-year-old girl with non-syndromic CL/CP. A history of craniofacial clefts was present in her family. Following genetic counseling, karyotype analysis and whole-exome sequencing (WES) were performed. Cytogenetic analysis revealed normal results, while WES analysis showed that the proband carried a homozygous c.546dupA (p.L183fs) mutation in the PDGFC gene. Sanger sequencing confirmed that her parents were carriers of the mutation. Conclusion: The c.546dupA (p.L183fs) mutation of PDGFC has not been previously reported and was not found in human genome databases. We speculate that the c.546dupA mutation of the PDGFC gene, identified in the Iranian patient, may be responsible for the phenotype of non-syndromic CL/CP (ns-CL/CP). Further studies are warranted to explore the specific pathogenesis of the PDGFC mutation in ns-CL/CP.