<![CDATA[A cleft lip (CL) is a gap in the upper lip caused by unconnected tissues before birth, often foundalongside a cleft palate (CP). In Indonesia, the prevalence of orofacial clefting is around :1,596. The incidence is multifactorial and polygenic. This study aimed to assess the expression of TGF-α andTGF-β3 proteins in endemic clefts of East Nusa Tenggara. This study used a cross-sectional method toanalyze lip epithelial tissue from patients with nonsyndromic CL/P. The research was conducted at theBioscience Laboratory, Central Laboratory of Life Sciences, and Biomedical Laboratory, UniversitasBrawijaya. This research started in April 2023 until October 2023. The study involved laboratorypreparation, paraffin block and preparate making, and immunofluorescence staining. The tissues wereinfiltrated with soft paraffin, trimmed, and thinned. The data was analyzed using Image J with athreshold of 20-100 and an independent t-test. TGF-α protein expression showed significantdifferences between East Nusa Tenggara and control, but no significant difference in TGF-β3expression. This research showed that TGF-α expression in the East Nusa Tenggara region is lowerthan control. This incidence may be due to inbreeding. Low TGF-β3 expression in patients with cleft palate only (CPO) is due to the complex development of the palate. The study reveals that low expression of TGF-α and TGF-β3 proteins in the East Nusa Tenggara region contributes to cleft lip andpalate incidence, affecting cell proliferation and palatal shelf adhesion. Keywords: Cleft lip, cleft palate, proteins, TGF-α, TGF-β3]]>
Copyrights © 2025
