Role of IL-6, TNF-A and LT-A variants in the modulation of the clinical expression of plaque-induced gingivitis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to assess the association of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-A) and lymphotoxin alpha (LT-A) gene polymorphisms with the clinical parameters of gingivitis in a large experimental gingivitis trial and with each of two subgroups, "high responder" (HR, n=24) and "low responder" (LR, n=24), with distinct susceptibility to gingivitis.


METHODS
Ninety-six systemically and periodontally healthy non-smokers, 46 males (mean age: 23.9+/-1.7) and 50 females (mean age: 23.3+/-1.6), were included in a randomized split-mouth localized 21-day experimental gingivitis trial. Plaque index, gingival index, gingival crevicular fluid volume and angulated bleeding score were recorded. HR and LR subgroups were characterized by substantially different severities of gingival inflammation despite a similar plaque accumulation rate. All subjects were genetically characterized for IL-6(-174), IL-6(-597), TNF-A(-308) and LT-A(+252) polymorphisms.


RESULTS
None of the variants analysed, either as single polymorphisms or as a combined genotype, was associated with the clinical parameters in the overall population. For the polymorphisms studied, genotypic distributions in HR and LR subjects were not significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
The present results suggest an absence of association between IL-6, TNF-A and LT-A polymorphisms and subject-based clinical behaviour of the gingiva in response to de novo plaque accumulation.
Scapoli
Chiara
C
Department of Biology and Evolution, and Research Center for the Study of Periodontal Diseases, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, Ferrara, Italy. scc@unife.it
Mamolini
Elisabetta
E
Trombelli
Leonardo
L
D000328:Adult; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000097:blood; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
D015850:Interleukin-6; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha