Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 31, 2026

Robust Ligature-Induced Model of Murine Periodontitis for the Evaluation of Oral Neutrophils
Published on: January 21, 2020
INTERLEUKIN-6 GENE POLYMORPHISM MODULATES THE RISK OF PERIODONTAL DISEASES
L Scapoli1, A Girardi1, A Palmieri1
1Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Abstract:
Gingivitis and periodontitis are the two main periodontal diseases. Both are characterized by inflammation of the tissues surrounding the teeth but while tissue damages observed in gingivitis are mild and reversible, destruction caused by periodontitis is deeper and irreversible. Periodontal diseases and levels of degeneration of tissues surrounding teeth depend on several interacting endogenous and exogenous factors. Polymorphisms of genes encoding molecules that modulate the immune response and tissue homeostasis are the main causes of individual susceptibility to periodontal diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate IL6, IL10 and VDR gene polymorphisms in a large number of subjects affected by either gingivitis or chronic periodontitis. The sample included 750 Italian patients. We found that the rs1800795 SNP located in the IL6 gene promoter was strongly associated with the occurrence of both gingivitis and periodontitis. Indeed, homozygous individuals with variant allele appeared less-susceptible to both gingivitis OR=0.47 (95% C.I. 0.27-0.82) and periodontitis OR=0.36 (95% C.I. 0.21-0.64). No evidence of association between periodontal diseases and IL10 or VDR polymorphisms was obtained. This data confirmed the role of IL6 in susceptibility to periodontitis among the Italian population. The evidence that IL6 polymorphisms are also involved in gingivitis has implications in periodontal disease pathogenesis and reduces the appeal of IL6 as a periodontitis biomarker.
Related Concept Videos
Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
The Oral Microbiota

