Association of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms with Chronic Periodontitis in a Population in Western Romania.

PURPOSE

Recent data indicate that gene polymorphisms, e.g. those of vitamin D-receptor (VDR), are associated with an increased susceptibility to chronic periodontitis (CP). This study investigated whether VDR gene polymorphism is associated with chronic periodontitis in a population in Western Romania, by determining the prevalence of the BsmI (rs1544410), ApaI (rs7975232), TaqI (rs731236) and FokI (rs2228570) genotypes and comparing the CP group with a periodontally healthy group.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This case-control study included 53 patients with CP and 47 healthy patients. VDR polymorphisms were genotyped using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The associations between VDR polymorphisms and CP were determined using logistic regression models, adjusted for patient age and serum level of Vitamin D.

RESULTS

We found a statistically significant association between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2228570 (FokI) and CP. Compared with subjects having the Thymine-Thymine (TT) genotype, those with the Cytosine-Cytosine (CC) variant were 19 times more likely to have the disease (adjusted odd ratio [OR]: 19.58; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.67 - 198.92) and with the Thymine-Cytosine (TC) variant, 8 times more likely (adjusted OR: 7.86; 95% CI: 1.29 - 61.56). Also, for the SNP rs1544410 (BsmI), compared with the Adenine-Adenine (AA) genotype, the Adenine-Guanine (AG) variant had an increased risk of periodontal disease (crude OR: 3.76; 95% CI: 1.15 - 13.80).

CONCLUSION

This case-control study of a Western Romanian population shows an association between vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms (FokI and BsmI) and CP susceptibility.