title: Analysis of the association between polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and dental caries in a Chinese population.
abstract: Environmental influences on the development and progression of dental caries are well known; however, there is little evidence of a genetic component imparting susceptibility to dental caries. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the vitamin D receptor TaqI locus and dental caries susceptibility in a Chinese population. This case-control study was conducted with a case group (264 patients with dental caries from northwestern China) and a control group (219 individuals without dental caries or systemic disease from the same area). DNA was extracted from the peripheral venous blood of the study participants; the distribution of TaqI locus genotypes and allele frequencies was determined via polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and Chi-square test. The frequency of the Tt genotype in the case group (14.0%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (4.3%), as determined using the genotype TT as the reference. The risk of dental caries was increased 3.8-fold in individuals with the heterozygous Tt genotype compared to that in the individuals with the TT genotype. The proportion of the 't' allele in the case group (7.0%) and the control group (2.1%) was observed to be significantly different [P = 0.0003; OR = 3.592, confidence interval 95% (1.790-7.208)]. Our results therefore suggested that the allele 't' might be a genetic factor determining dental caries susceptibility in individuals from the northwest of China.
authors.affiliation: School of Stomatology, Northwest University for Nationalities, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: X P
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: School of Stomatology, Northwest University for Nationalities, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Z Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Stomatology, Northwest University for Nationalities, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Stomatology, LanZhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: School of Stomatology, Northwest University for Nationalities, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Stomatology, Northwest University for Nationalities, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D003710:Demography; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol