Background and objective: Single nucleotide polymorphisms are assumed to be associated with the differential production of cytokines. We evaluated gene polymorphisms of interleukin-10 (-592C>A, -819C>T and -1082G>A) and interleukin-12B (+16974) in patients with chronic periodontitis (n = 145) and generalized aggressive periodontitis (n = 65) in comparison with healthy controls (n = 126).
Material and methods: Gene promoter polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers. Genotype and allele frequencies were analyzed using the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis.
Results: The interleukin-10 -592 polymorphism showed significant differences among the three groups (p = 0.0330). The genotype frequencies of the -592 locus between the chronic periodontitis and healthy control groups were significantly different (AC vs. AA: odds ratio = 0.33). The combination ATA/ATA seemed to be associated with susceptibility to generalized aggressive periodontitis (p = 0.0276). Patients with the composite ATA/ACC were less likely to develop chronic periodontitis (p = 0.0248). The CC genotype of interleukin-12B (+16974) was related to chronic periodontitis (CC vs. AA, p = 0.0211; CC vs. AA+AC, p = 0.0187). The AC heterozygosity of interleukin-12B was significantly lower in chronic periodontitis vs. healthy controls (p = 0.0500).
Conclusion: The interleukin-10 gene polymorphism at position -592C>A may be associated with a lower risk for development of chronic periodontitis. The interleukin-10 haplotype ATA is associated with generalized aggressive periodontitis. On the other hand, interleukin-12B genetic variants at position +16974 are associated with susceptibility to chronic periodontitis.