Mitochondrial polymorphisms and dysfunction related to aggressive periodontitis: a pilot study

To investigate whether aggressive periodontitis (AgP) is associated with specific mtDNA polymorphisms or point mutations and furthermore whether mitochondrial dysfunction occurs in gingival fibroblasts of AgP patients.

The mitochondrial DNA coding regions were amplified and sequenced in 22 overlapped fragments in 34 patients with AgP and 28 healthy controls for initial screening. We selected eleven SNPs for detailed investigation in the rest 30 AgP patients and 26 healthy controls, because all other variants occurred at relatively low frequencies or had no difference between two groups. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between mtDNA variants and AgP. Gingival fibroblasts were cultured from four patients with AgP and four healthy controls, and then mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species production and cell proliferation were analyzed.

Significant association was observed between aggressive periodontitis and eight mitochondrial polymorphisms: '8701A-9540T-10400C-10873T-14783T-15043G-15301G' (OR = 3.471 (1.610-7.483), P = 0.001) and 10398A (OR = 3.238 (1.481-7.078), P = 0.003). Compared with the controls, patients with aggressive periodontitis had a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase in reactive oxygen species production.

In conclusion, we propose that mitochondrial dysfunction and '8701A-9540T-10400C-10873T-14783T-15043G-15301G, 10398A' are associated with and may increase the susceptibility to AgP in the Han Chinese population.