Human β-defensin-2 is an antimicrobial peptide with antibiotic properties secreted by the oral cavity to protect the host against microbial attack. The inter-individual differences in defensin expression profiles due to genetic variation might be partly responsible for differences in disease susceptibility.
Aims:
The objective of this study was to examine whether variation in the human β-defensin-2 gene (DEFB4A) is associated with chronic periodontitis (CP).
Materials and Methods:
This case-control study used Sanger sequencing to analyze two promoter polymorphisms of the DEFB4A gene with potential functional consequences using DNA samples collected from 200 unrelated individuals.
Results:
The DEFB4A rs1339258595 promoter polymorphism is associated with CP risk and clinical attachment level (CAL) but the rs3762040 polymorphism is not. Carriers of the T allele (rs1339258595) were approximately three times less likely to develop periodontitis compared with noncarriers (p = 0.0004, odds ratio = 0.35). Consistent with a protective role, the carriers of T allele had a lower CAL compared with the wild-type (G) allele. Moreover, the wild-type diplotype (GGGG) had a significantly higher risk of tooth loss compared with other diplotypes (p = 0.016).
Conclusion:
This study demonstrates that genetic variation in the promoter region of DEFB4A likely affects resistance to periodontal infection and might be a potential marker for CP risk and severity.
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