Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Inducing Apical Periodontitis in Mice
Published on: August 6, 2019
Candidate genes as potential links between periodontal and cardiovascular diseases
1Interleukin Genetics, Inc., Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. kkornman@ilgenetics.com
Abstract:
Recent epidemiological associations between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease have led to a search for biological mechanisms that explain the associations. Genetic factors that influence biological processes involved in both diseases represent one of the potential mechanisms that may link periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. At present, several candidate genes have been investigated in one of the diseases but not the other. Although there are limited data to support a specific candidate gene as the explanation for observed associations between the 2 diseases, a few candidates look promising. One candidate that influences inflammation, interleukin-1 gene polymorphisms, has been associated with periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. This review will consider biological mechanisms and genes that may be reasonable candidates for an etiological mechanism that influences the clinical characteristics of both periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease.
Related Concept Videos
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs
Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...
Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction
Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...

