Vertical facial discrepancies in Brazilian children and adolescents are associated with polymorphisms in members of the Wnt gene family.

Objectives Vertical facial discrepancies (VFD) are common craniofacial conditions influenced by genetic and environmental factors. This study investigated whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the WNT10A and WNT11 genes are associated with VFD in Brazilian children and adolescents. Design This study included 247 orthodontic patients aged 5–16 years. VFD was assessed using the VERT index from lateral cephalograms. Six SNPs in WNT10A (rs3806557, rs10177996) and WNT11 (rs596339, rs689095, rs1533767, rs1568507) were genotyped using real-time PCR. Cephalometric measures were summarized by principal component analysis (PCA). Associations were tested using univariate analyses and multivariate Robust Poisson regression models, adjusted for relevant covariates, with uncorrected p-values (alpha = 5%). Prevalence Ratios (PRs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results The rs689095 (p= 0.037; PR = 1.97; CI 95% 1.05 to 3.71) and rs1568507 (p=0.049; PR= 1.96; CI 95% 1.00 to 3.83) variants in WNT11 were associated with a light dolichofacial pattern in both univariate and multivariate analyses (p<0.05). The rs3806557 ( WNT10A ) genotype was associated with a higher prevalence of dolicho- and severe dolichofacial patterns (p = 0.047; PR = 2.11; 95% CI 1.01 to 4.42) and with higher mandibular rotation (p = 0.002; β = 0.758; Standard Error = 0.24). The rs10177996 ( WNT10A) was also associated with higher mandibular rotation (p=0.015; β=0.515; Standard Error=0.21). Conclusion SNPs in WNT10A and WNT11 are associated with VFD in Brazilian children and adolescents. These results suggest that the Wnt signaling pathway may contribute to craniofacial development and highlight potential genetic markers for predicting VFD.