Association between IL8 haplotypes and pathogen levels in chronic periodontitis

Area of Science:

• Periodontology
• Genetics
• Microbiology

Background:

• Chronic periodontitis (CP) is a complex disease influenced by microbial and genetic factors.
• The IL8 ATC/TTC haplotype is a potential genetic factor in CP susceptibility.
• Understanding the interplay between genetics and microbial load is crucial for CP management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the IL8 ATC/TTC haplotype and subgingival levels of key periodontopathogens in individuals with chronic periodontitis.
• To determine if genetic susceptibility to CP is linked to a lower burden of specific periodontal bacteria.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-five individuals were genotyped for the IL8 ATC/TTC haplotype and categorized into presence (n=28) or absence (n=37) groups.
• Participants were clinically evaluated for periodontitis (CP) or healthy status (H).
• Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) analyzed the levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola in subgingival samples.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in the proportion of periodontopathogens was observed between individuals with or without the IL8 haplotype.
• However, in chronic periodontitis patients, significantly higher levels of periodontopathogens were found in individuals lacking the IL8 haplotype compared to those possessing it.
• This indicates a potentially lower microbial challenge in genetically susceptible individuals with the IL8 haplotype.

Conclusions:

• The IL8 ATC/TTC haplotype may confer genetic susceptibility to chronic periodontitis by reducing the microbial challenge.
• Individuals with this haplotype may experience periodontal destruction with lower levels of periodontopathogens compared to those without the haplotype.
• This finding highlights the role of genetic predisposition in modulating the impact of bacterial load in chronic periodontitis.