Analysis of two common alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency alleles (PI*Z and PI*S) in subjects with periodontitis.

BACKGROUND

pi alpha 1-Antitrypsin deficiency is a genetically determined condition resulting in predisposition to certain inflammatory diseases due to a protease: antiprotease imbalance that is exacerbated by tobacco smoking. Limited evidence suggests that there may be a significant enrichment of mild alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency phenotypes in subjects with chronic inflammatory periodontal disease.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the prevalence of two common alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency alleles (PIZ and PIS) in a UK population of subjects with periodontitis.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The prevalence of PIM, PIS and PI*Z allele combinations was determined in 31 subjects with periodontitis and compared with 31 healthy control subjects matched for smoking status, ethnicity, age and gender. alpha 1-Antitrypsin genotyping was performed by multiplex real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using DNA extracted from whole blood.

RESULTS

There was no difference in the proportion of any alpha 1-antitrypsin genotype found in the diseased and control populations.

CONCLUSIONS

We did not find evidence to support an association between mutant PI* alleles and periodontitis in a small, controlled study. Larger studies will be required to clarify the relationship between alpha1-antitrypsin genotype and susceptibility to inflammatory periodontal disease.