title: Association of periodontitis with GSTM1/GSTT1-null variants--a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze a possible association between glutathione-S-transferase T1 (GSTM1) and/or glutathione-S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) polymorphisms and chronic or aggressive forms of periodontitis in a Caucasian ethnic group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine chronic, 14 aggressive periodontitis and 61 controls, deeply analyzed from a clinical point of view, were studied for their GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms by allelic specific PCR techniques. As a second control group, 64 blood donors were also included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant association was found between GSTM1-null genotype and both chronic and aggressive periodontitis. The aggressive forms were associated with the double null GSTM1 and GSTT1 combination. These results were independent of the patients' age, gender, hygienic habits and smoke (evaluated as tobacco smoking yes/no, cigarettes/day and pack years) as confirmed by multivariate logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The GSTM1-null variant is statistically associated with the two forms of periodontitis, while the aggressive one also presents a second null variant: GSTT1.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Catholic University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Concolino
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cecchetti
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Autilia
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santonocito
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Stasio
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zuppi
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arcuri
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deli
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capoluongo
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ameglio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000235:genetics*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D005982:Glutathione Transferase; C413545:glutathione S-transferase T1