'Interleukin-4 gene polymorphism and its relation to periodontal disease in a Brazilian population of African heritage'.
OBJECTIVE
Host modifying factors, such as genetic predisposition, may increase severity of periodontitis. Genetic polymorphisms in interleukin-4 (IL-4) genes seem to influence host response to microbial challenge. Two IL-4 polymorphisms were found in association with asthma and atopy, and later with aggressive periodontitis in Caucasians. There seems to be a trend for racial differences regarding polymorphisms. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate if these IL-4 polymorphisms were associated with periodontal disease in a Brazilian population of African heritage.


METHODS
Sixty patients were divided into two groups: periodontitis group (n = 30) and control group (n = 30) Blood samples were taken and genomic DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Identification of 70 bp repeat polymorphism in intron 2 and in the -590 position of the promoter region was performed through PCR-RFLP and electrophoresis in agarose gel.


RESULTS
No significant differences were found in the genotype frequency of the polymorphisms between control and periodontitis group. Chi square test and Mann-Whitney test were used for statistical analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that the studied IL-4 polymorphisms were not related to periodontal disease susceptibility in this African-American Brazilian population.
Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Carla Cruvinel
CC
Pontes
Jose R
JR
Gonzales
Arthur Belém
AB
Novaes
Mário
M
Taba Júnior
Márcio Fernando M
MF
Grisi
Joerg
J
Michel
Joerg
J
Meyle
Sérgio Luís Scombatti
SL
de Souza
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000810:Angola / Q000208:ethnology; D044383:Black People; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002163:Cameroon / Q000208:ethnology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D001741:Black or African American
D015847:Interleukin-4