Objectives: The etiology of periodontitis is related to the interaction between micro-organisms and host responses. Host modifying factors, such as genetic predisposition, may increase the severity of periodontitis. Recent works have shown that the levels of cytokine expression are regulated by genetic polymorphisms, and that these variations can interfere with progression of the disease. This study therefore aimed to evaluate whether interleukin (IL) 4 gene polymorphisms are associated with severe generalized chronic periodontitis.
Material and methods: Seventy-five severe generalized chronic periodontitis patients and 73 healthy subjects were examined. Blood samples were taken and genomic DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Identification of 70 base-pair repeat polymorphisms in intron 2 and C-->T polymorphisms at -590 position of the promoter region was performed through PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).
Results: No significant differences were found in the allele and genotype frequencies between the control and periodontitis group.
Conclusion: The IL-4 polymorphisms were not related to severe generalized chronic periodontitis in a Turkish population.