Bouaita Inès, Peixoto André, Mascarenhas Paulo, Manso Cristina
Egas Moniz Dental Clinic (EMDC), Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Campus Universitário, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Almada, Portugal.
Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Campus Universitário, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Almada, Portugal.
Genes (Basel). 2025 Aug 12;16(8):952. doi: 10.3390/genes16080952.
Dental caries is now recognised as a multifactorial disease shaped by complex interactions among genetic, epigenetic, microbiological, environmental, and social factors. This narrative review synthesises recent findings on the influence of genetic and epigenetic factors on caries susceptibility, exploring implications for personalised prevention strategies, including novel vaccine approaches. Numerous gene polymorphisms in pathways related to enamel formation, saliva composition, immune response, and taste perception have been linked to increased caries risk, with some effects modulated by sex and tooth-specific factors. Early-life environmental exposures (diet, tobacco, and antibiotic use) have been demonstrated to further alter risk through epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, microRNA regulation, and histone changes. The recognition of this landscape of inherited and acquired vulnerabilities has given rise to interest in innovative preventive measures. In particular, anti-caries vaccines targeting are being developed using protein subunits, DNA constructs, and even plant-based antigen production. Notwithstanding the challenges that still need to be overcome-chiefly the achievement of robust mucosal immunity, the assurance of safety, and the enhancement of production-these vaccines are proving to be a promising addition to traditional oral hygiene and fluoride measures. The integration of genetic and epigenetic insights with immunological advances has the potential to facilitate the development of more effective, personalised interventions to prevent dental caries.
龋齿现在被认为是一种多因素疾病，由遗传、表观遗传、微生物、环境和社会因素之间的复杂相互作用所塑造。这篇叙述性综述综合了关于遗传和表观遗传因素对龋齿易感性影响的最新研究结果，探讨了对个性化预防策略的意义，包括新型疫苗方法。与牙釉质形成、唾液成分、免疫反应和味觉感知相关途径中的众多基因多态性与龋齿风险增加有关，其中一些影响受性别和牙齿特异性因素调节。已证明早年的环境暴露（饮食、烟草和抗生素使用）会通过DNA甲基化、微小RNA调节和组蛋白变化等表观遗传修饰进一步改变风险。对这种遗传和后天易感性情况的认识引发了对创新预防措施的兴趣。特别是，正在使用蛋白质亚基、DNA构建体甚至基于植物的抗原生产来开发针对 的抗龋齿疫苗。尽管仍需克服主要挑战——主要是实现强大的黏膜免疫、确保安全性和提高产量——但这些疫苗已被证明是传统口腔卫生和氟化物措施的有前景的补充。将遗传和表观遗传见解与免疫学进展相结合，有可能促进开发更有效、个性化的预防龋齿干预措施。
