title: Analysis of two common alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency alleles (PI*Z and PI*S) in subjects with periodontitis.
abstract: 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 (PI*Z and PI*S) in a UK population of subjects with periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of PI*M, PI*S 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. ScottDA@ms.UManitoba.ca
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: von Ahsen
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012907:Smoking; D014361:Trypsin Inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D006113:United Kingdom; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000235:genetics*; D019896:alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014361:Trypsin Inhibitors; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin