The Impact of IL1B rs1143634 and DEFB1 rs11362 Variants on Periodontitis Risk in Phenylketonuria and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in a Latvian Population

OBJECTIVES

Periodontitis is a multifactorial disease that affects approximately 11% of the global population. The objective of this study was to examine whether, among individuals with phenylketonuria and type 1 diabetes mellitus, those with the IL1B rs1143634 and/or DEFB1 rs11362 genetic variants exhibit a higher periodontitis risk compared to healthy controls.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In all, 43 phenylketonuria patients (aged 12-53), 28 type 1 diabetes mellitus patients (aged 11-40), and 63 healthy controls (aged 12-53) were included. The evaluation of periodontitis risk was conducted using the Silness-Löe plaque index, the Greene-Vermillion index, and an assessment for the necessity of calculus removal. Genetic variants rs1143634 and rs11362 were genotyped from salivary samples using restriction length polymorphism analysis.

RESULTS

The DEFB1 rs11362 variant was associated with higher Silness-Löe and Greene-Vermillion index scores in phenylketonuria patients (p = 0.011 and p = 0.043, respectively). The IL1B rs1143634 variant was associated with lower calculus removal necessity in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients (p = 0.030). Clinical examination showed the worst oral hygiene index scores for PKU patients. PKU patients also reported the least consistent tooth brushing and flossing habits.

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic associations between DEFB1 rs11362 and IL1B rs1143634 variants and oral hygiene indices were observed in the PKU and T1DM groups, suggesting that genetic factors may contribute to periodontal health differences in these populations. Further research with a larger sample size is needed to confirm these findings and develop targeted oral health interventions.

Odontostomatological Traits in North-Eastern Italy's Isolated Populations: An Epidemiological Cross-Sectional Study

Malocclusions and temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are oral health problems that are spread worldwide. To date, few studies focused on their prevalence and associated risk factors are available. This study aims to define the prevalence and distribution of odontostomatological traits and evaluate specific risk factors in isolated villages in north-eastern Italy, taking advantage of their environmental homogeneity. Nine hundred and forty-four participants aged six to eighty-nine years were enrolled. Thirty-one odontostomatological phenotypes, classified into five domains (airways, bad habits, extraoral and intraoral parameters, TMDs, and teeth), were evaluated. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed; mixed logistic models were used to test the relationships among the traits. According to the study's findings, Angle's class I was prevalent (65.3%) followed by class II malocclusion (24.3%); class III and reversed overjet were the least frequent malocclusions (10.4% and 1.8%, respectively). Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) click/noise was prevalent among TMDs (34.7%). The statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) risk factors were ankyloglossia for phonetic issues (OR 1.90) and bruxism for TMJ click/noise (OR 1.70) and pain (OR 2.20). Overall, this work provides a picture of the prevalence of malocclusions and TMDs in a large Italian sample and reveals risk factors to take into account in the development of preventive strategies and treatments.

Associations of PART1 and DEFB1 polymorphisms with Dental Caries in twelve-year-old children in Southern China: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess associations of PART1 rs27565 and DEFB1 rs11362 polymorphisms with the prevalence of dental caries in twelve-year-old children in Nandan County, Guangxi, China.

METHODS

A total of 1,061 children were included in this cross-sectional study and divided into two groups based on the Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth (DMFT) index: caries-free children (DMFT score = 0) and children with caries (DMFT score ≥ 1). Demographic characteristics, oral hygiene behaviour and dietary habits were collected through household records and questionnaires. Genomic DNA was extracted from buccal cells, and PART1 rs27565 and DEFB1 rs11362 polymorphisms were genotyped using a custom-designed 48-Plex single nucleotide polymorphism-scan kit.

RESULTS

Carriers of the PART1 rs27565 C allele (odds ratio [OR] = 1.338, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.015-1.764, P value = 0.039) and carriers of the DEFB1 rs11362 T allele (OR = 1.364, 95% CI = 1.056-1.762, P value = 0.017) had a higher risk of caries. Carriers of the PART1 rs27565 TC or CC genotype who ate sugary food more than once a week had a 1.6-fold higher risk of caries than TT carriers who ate sugary food at most once a week (OR = 1.579, 95% CI = 1.032-2.414, P value = 0.035). Carriers of the DEFB1 rs11362 CT or TT genotype who ate sugary food more than once a week had a 2.1-fold higher risk of caries than CC carriers who ate sugary food at most once a week (OR = 2.057, 95% CI = 1.438-2.940, P value < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

PART1 rs27565 and DEFB1 rs11362 polymorphisms were associated with caries in 12-year-old children in Nandan County, Guangxi, China. Carriers of the PART1 rs27565 TC or CC genotype and the DEFB1 rs11362 CT or TT genotype who ate sugary food more than once a week had a high probability of having caries.

Immunomodulatory and Allergenic Properties of Antimicrobial Peptides

With the growing problem of the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the search for alternative ways to combat bacterial infections is extremely urgent. While analyzing the effect of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) on immunocompetent cells, their effect on all parts of the immune system, and on humoral and cellular immunity, is revealed. AMPs have direct effects on neutrophils, monocytes, dendritic cells, T-lymphocytes, and mast cells, participating in innate immunity. They act on B-lymphocytes indirectly, enhancing the induction of antigen-specific immunity, which ultimately leads to the activation of adaptive immunity. The adjuvant activity of AMPs in relation to bacterial and viral antigens was the reason for their inclusion in vaccines and made it possible to formulate the concept of a “defensin vaccine” as an innovative basis for constructing vaccines. The immunomodulatory function of AMPs involves their influence on cells in the nearest microenvironment, recruitment and activation of other cells, supporting the response to pathogenic microorganisms and completing the inflammatory process, thus exhibiting a systemic effect. For the successful use of AMPs in medical practice, it is necessary to study their immunomodulatory activity in detail, taking into account their pleiotropy. The degree of maturity of the immune system and microenvironment can contribute to the prevention of complications and increase the effectiveness of therapy, since AMPs can suppress inflammation in some circumstances, but aggravate the response and damage of organism in others. It should also be taken into account that the real functions of one or another AMP depend on the types of total regulatory effects on the target cell, and not only on properties of an individual peptide. A wide spectrum of biological activity, including direct effects on pathogens, inactivation of bacterial toxins and influence on immunocompetent cells, has attracted the attention of researchers, however, the cytostatic activity of AMPs against normal cells, as well as their allergenic properties and low stability to host proteases, are serious limitations for the medical use of AMPs. In this connection, the tasks of searching for compounds that selectively affect the target and development of an appropriate method of application become critically important. The scope of this review is to summarize the current concepts and newest advances in research of the immunomodulatory activity of natural and synthetic AMPs, and to examine the prospects and limitations of their medical use.

Associations of early childhood caries with salivary beta defensin-3 and childhood anemia: a case-control study

Background

Human beta defensin-3 (HβD-3) is an antimicrobial peptide present in saliva that protects tooth surfaces from microbial attack. These peptides are part of innate immunity so levels may be affected by different systemic diseases like anemia. Therefore, anemia may predispose an affected child to an increased risk of dental caries. The objectives of this study were to determine the association of early childhood caries (ECC) with HβD-3 levels and observe the association of HβD-3 levels with childhood anemia.

Methods

A total of 80 children admitted in a pediatric medical ward, age 48–71 months, of either sex were included in the study. The included children were categorized as cases (children with ECC n = 40) and controls (children without ECC n = 40). Children were further segregated into the anemic and non-anemic sub-groups based on the hospital record of hemoglobin level. The salivary concentration of HβD-3 was measured by Enzyme-Linked Immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA). IBM SPSS version 20 software was used for statistical analysis. Two sample t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare mean values while spearman was used for correlations at p < 0.05.

Results

The mean Salivary HβD-3 level in cases (8.87 ± 4.30) was significantly higher (p = 0.042) as compared to controls (7.23 ± 2.57). Salivary HβD-3 level in patients with caries and without anemia was highest (10.80 ± 4.50) whereas salivary HβD-3 level in the presence of caries and anemia was lowest (6.94 ± 3.13) amongst all groups. This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Salivary HβD-3 level was found to be moderately correlated with cases (p = 0.002). An inverse correlation was found between salivary HβD-3 level and anemia (r = -0.479, p = 0.002).

Conclusion

Anemia may affect the innate immunity of children, and may result in a decreased level of salivary HβD3, thus increasing vulnerability to decay.

Beta-defensin 1 gene polymorphisms in the pathologies of the oral cavity-Data from meta-analysis: Association only with rs1047031 not with rs1800972, rs1799946, and rs11362

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to reveal a potential association of the four functional polymorphisms in human Beta-defensin 1 (DEFB1) gene: rs1047031(c*5G > A) at 3'UTR and rs11362 (-20 G > A), rs1800972(-44 C > G), and rs1799946 (-52 G > A) at 5'UTR with the risk of common oral cavity pathologies that included periodontitis, caries, lichen planus, and recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

METHODS

The relevant studies were obtained by the two researchers from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to April 29, 2020. The manual search of the reference lists was also performed. Studies on DEFB1 gene polymorphisms and oral cavity disorders, using the case-control genetic association analysis approach, and published as full texts in English were included. To assess the association strength, odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted.

RESULTS

Thirteen publications met the inclusion criteria and were incorporated in this meta-analysis. Statistically significant values of the association tests were found only for the rs1047031 polymorphism. Allele distribution in the rs1047031 polymorphism was significantly associated with susceptibility to oral cavity pathologies (adjusted P value = 0.003). The rare variant allele carriers had a significantly higher risk for oral disasters under recessive (CC vs CT + TT), and CC vs CT models. No significant correlations between rs11362, rs1800972, and rs1799946 and the risk of oral pathologies were revealed.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant association between rs1047031 polymorphism and risk of oral pathologies has been found, and therefore, we suggest to include this polymorphism in future research concerning the genetic background of the oral cavity diseases.

Genes and SNPs in the pathway of immune response and caries risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to pool the data on Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in immune response genes associated with dental caries. Nineteen studies were included in the review and 18 in the meta-analysis. Twenty-two SNPs were evaluated, which are linked to six different genes (MBL2, LFT, MASP2, DEFB1, FCN2 and MUC5B). Most SNPs (81.8%) are related to the possible functional impact on protein coding. The MBL2 gene was associated with caries experience in the analysis of the homozygote (OR = 2.12 CI95%[1.12-3.99]) and heterozygote (OR = 2.22 CI95%[1.44-3.44]) genotypes. The MUC5B gene was associated according to an analysis of the heterozygous genotype (OR = 1.83 CI95%[1.08-3.09]). Thus, SNPs related to immune response genes are linked to the phenotype of caries experience. Although the meta-analysis showed that the genes MBL2 and MUC5B were associated with caries, these results should be interpreted with caution due to the quality of the evidence.

Association between rs11362 polymorphism in the beta-defensin 1 (DEFB1) gene and dental caries: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Beta-defensin 1, encoded by the DEFB1 gene, is an important molecule that confers protection from dental caries. Numerous studies have been conducted on the rs11362 polymorphism in the DEFB1 gene. We evaluated the results from studies that have investigated the association between rs11362 polymorphism and dental caries, through a meta-analysis.

METHODS

This meta-analysis was designed according to the PRISMA statement guideline. Electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) were scanned by two independent researchers. The publication bias was determined by statistical analyses using funnel plot, Egger regression test, and Begg and Mazumdar rank correlation test. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the chi-square test, tau-square, and Higgins I² test. Odds ratio (OR) was used to measure the effect size.

RESULTS

Rank correlation and regression procedures showed the absence of publication bias in the meta-analysis (p > 0.05). The DEFB1 rs11362 polymorphism in the heterozygous (CC vs. CT: OR = 2.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17, 4.10; p = 0.014) and dominant (CC vs. CT + TT: OR = 3.11, 95% CI: 1.18, 8.21; p = 0.022) models in the permanent dentition subgroup showed significant differences. However, there was no significant difference between any model in either the deciduous dentition (p > 0.05) or the mixed dentition subgroups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggests that the DEFB1 rs11362 polymorphism is associated with dental caries in permanent dentition. Moreover, individuals with the TT genotype were found to have seven times higher risk of dental caries than individuals with the CC genotype. There was no such association or statistical difference observed for deciduous and mixed dentitions.

Pilot GWAS of caries in African-Americans shows genetic heterogeneity

BACKGROUND

Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in the US and disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minorities. Caries is heritable, and though genetic heterogeneity exists between ancestries for a substantial portion of loci associated with complex disease, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of caries specifically in African Americans has not been performed previously.

METHODS

We performed exploratory GWAS of dental caries in 109 African American adults (age > 18) and 96 children (age 3-12) from the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA1 cohort). Caries phenotypes (DMFS, DMFT, dft, and dfs indices) assessed by dental exams were tested for association with 5 million genotyped or imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), separately in the two age groups. The GWAS was performed using linear regression with adjustment for age, sex, and two principal components of ancestry. A maximum of 1 million adaptive permutations were run to determine empirical significance.

RESULTS

No loci met the threshold for genome-wide significance, though some of the strongest signals were near genes previously implicated in caries such as antimicrobial peptide DEFB1 (rs2515501; p = 4.54 × 10- 6) and TUFT1 (rs11805632; p = 5.15 × 10- 6). Effect estimates of lead SNPs at suggestive loci were compared between African Americans and Caucasians (adults N = 918; children N = 983). Significant (p < 5 × 10- 8) genetic heterogeneity for caries risk was found between racial groups for 50% of the suggestive loci in children, and 12-18% of the suggestive loci in adults.

CONCLUSIONS

The genetic heterogeneity results suggest that there may be differences in the contributions of genetic variants to caries across racial groups, and highlight the critical need for the inclusion of minorities in subsequent and larger genetic studies of caries in order to meet the goals of precision medicine and to reduce oral health disparities.

DEFB1 rs11362 Polymorphism and Risk of Chronic Periodontitis: A Meta-Analysis of Unadjusted and Adjusted Data

Objective: Chronic periodontitis (CP) is a growing problem that affects the worldwide population, having significant impacts on people's daily lives and economic development. Genetics is an important component in the determination of individual susceptibility to periodontal diseases. Numerous studies have been performed to investigate the association between beta defensin 1 (DEFB1) rs11362 polymorphism and risk of CP, but the results are still inconclusive. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to ascertain whether this variation in DEFB1 is associated with CP susceptibility.

Methods: The relevant studies were searched in PubMed and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases up to January 9, 2018. Two independent authors selected citations and extracted the data from eligible studies. Odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to assess the strength of the association.

Results: Seven case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis. Based on unadjusted data, there was no obvious association between DEFB1 rs11362 polymorphism and CP risk in all genetic models (A vs. G: OR = 0.86, 95%CI = 0.61–1.20; AA vs. GG: OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 00.50–1.39; AG vs. GG: OR = 1.01, 95%CI = 0.73–1.39; AG+AA vs. GG: OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 00.74–1.11; and AA vs. AG+GG: OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 00.57–1.21); the results of adjusted data also showed no significant relationship. Subgroup analyses based on ethnicity, participants' smoking status, HWE in controls and severity of CP all revealed similar results to that of the overall analysis. Sensitivity analysis indicated the results were robust and no evidence of publication bias was found.

Conclusions: Our meta-analysis suggests that DEFB1 rs11362 polymorphism may not have an important effect on the risk of CP. Further large-scale and well-designed studies are necessary to validate our conclusion in the future.

The innate host response in caries and periodontitis

INTRODUCTION

Innate immunity rapidly defends the host against infectious insults. These reactions are of limited specificity and exhaust without providing long-term protection. Functional fluids and effector molecules contribute to the defence against infectious agents, drive the immune response, and direct the cellular players.

AIM

To review the literature and present a summary of current knowledge about the function of tissues, cellular players and soluble mediators of innate immunity relevant to caries and periodontitis.

METHODS

Historical and recent literature was critically reviewed based on publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

RESULTS

The innate immune response is vital to resistance against caries and periodontitis and rapidly attempts to protect against infectious agents in the dental hard and soft tissues. Soluble mediators include specialized proteins and lipids. They function to signal to immune and inflammatory cells, provide antimicrobial resistance, and also induce mechanisms for potential repair of damaged tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

Far less investigated than adaptive immunity, innate immune responses are an emerging scientific and therapeutic frontier. Soluble mediators of the innate response provide a network of signals to organize the near immediate molecular and cellular response to infection, including direct and immediate antimicrobial activity. Further studies in human disease and animal models are generally needed.