Association between oestrogen receptors and female temporomandibular disorders

Objective: To evaluate if temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are associated with genetic polymorphisms in ESR1 and ESR2, which are genes encoding oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ). Also, we included an animal model to check if ERα and ERβ are expressed in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) during adolescence.Materials and methods: A total of 139 teenagers and 93 adults were diagnosed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMDs). The DNA was collected and the markers ESR1 and ERS2 were genotyped. Additionally, immunohistochemistry was performed in TMJ tissues from female Wistar rats during puberty. All data were submitted to statistical analysis with confidence interval of 95%.Results: Teenagers presented more disc displacement and arthralgia than adults (p < .05). The genetic polymorphism rs1256049 in ESR2 was associated with disc displacement (p = .040; OR = 10.50/95%CI 1.17-98.74) and arthralgia (p = .036; OR = 7.20/95%CI 1.10-46.88) in adults. The ERα and ERβ are expressed in rat TMJ tissues.Conclusions: We provide evidence that ESR2 is associated with TMD and could be a genetic marker for this condition in adult women. Furthermore, oestrogens receptors are presented in TMJ of adolescent female rats.