Renin–angiotensin gene polymorphisms in relation to severe chronic periodontitis.

Aim: Evidence suggests that the ultimate product of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS), angiotensin II, exerts inflammatory actions. The present study aimed to evaluate the inter-relation between gene polymorphisms of the RAS components; angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensinogen (AGT) and angiotensin II type-I receptor (AT1R), and severe chronic periodontitis (CP). Material and Methods: DNA was obtained from peripheral blood of 90 CP patients and 126 periodontally healthy subjects, and the clinical parameters were recorded. ACE I/D, AGT M235T and AT1R A1166C polymorphisms were genotyped by the PCR–RFLP method. Chi-square,anova and logistic regression methods were used in statistical analyses. Results: The frequency of the ACE D allele was significantly lower in the CP group than the healthy group ( p_corr=0.015). CP subjects exhibited increased C allele carriage and C allele frequency of the AT1R gene ( p_corr=0.03 and p_corr=0.03, respectively). All clinical parameters of CP patients were found to be similar in variant allele-carrying and non-carrying subjects ( p>0.05). Conclusions: The present findings suggest that ACE I/D and AT1R polymorphisms might be associated with susceptibility to CP but not with disease severity. The D allele of ACE I/D might be associated with decreased, whereas the C variant of AT1R A1166C might be associated with an elevated risk for CP in Turkish population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]