The noncoding SNP rs7205289, located in the microRNA-140 gene has been associated with cleft palate risk. MiR-140 was found to regulate zebrafish palatal development in vivo and its expression level be reduced by environmental smoke exposure in vitro. Therefore, we sought to investigate whether the A allele of rs7205289 and maternal smoke exposure during the first trimester might contribute to cleft palate risk by regulating microRNA-140. We used in situ hybridization to explore the microRNA-140 expression pattern. A luciferase reporting system and Western blot were used to validate the target of microRNA-140. Mouse palatal mesenchymal cells (MPMC) were transfected with microRNA-140 expression vectors, or treated with cigarette smoke extract. In addition, we performed a hospital-based case-control study in 169 patients with nonsyndromic cleft palate and 306 unaffected controls. We demonstrated microRNA-140 expression in mouse palatal shelves from embryonic days 12 to 15. Pdgfrα was the target of microRNA-140 in MPMC. When these cells were transfected with the minor allele vector or exposed to cigarette smoke extract, they showed a decrease in microRNA-140 expression. Epidemiological analyses showed that infants with CA/AA genotypes and exposed to maternal passive smoking during pregnancy had evidence of synergistic interaction in contributing to cleft palate risk. We concluded that infants with CA/AA genotypes at rs7205289 and maternal passive smoking during the first trimester may synergistically contribute to cleft palate risk by decreasing microRNA-140 during palatal development.
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