Effects of the carbonic anhydrase VI gene polymorphisms on dental caries: A meta-analysis

Carbonic anhydrase VI (CA VI) is considered to greatly participate in the buffering of saliva, ion transport, the regulation of pH, secretory processes, and saliva production. Various studies have been conducted to investigate the relationship between CA VI and dental caries.

The goal of this study was to make a meta-analysis of studies that examined the effects of the CA VI gene polymorphisms on dental caries.

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement guide was followed. Electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) were scanned by 2 independent researchers. The funnel plot, Egger's regression and Begg and Mazumdar's rank correlation test were used to determine publication bias. Cohen's d was used to measure the effect size.

Four studies were included in the meta-analysis; a total of 3 polymorphisms (rs2274327, rs2274328, rs2274333) and a total of 13 polymorphism models were analyzed. According to Egger's regression and the Begg and Mazumdar's test, the meta-analysis had no significant publication bias (p > 0.05). The highest susceptibility effect was noticed in the rs2274328 (AA vs CC) model (d = 0.18; 95% CI (confidence interval): -1.77, 2.13), but this effect was not significant (p = 0.237), and the highest protective effect was observed in the rs2274328 (AA vs AC) model (d = -0.13, 95% CI: -1.36, 1.11), but this effect was not significant, either (p = 0.195). No association was found between any of the polymorphism models and dental caries (p > 0.05).

Even though CA VI plays an important role in the buffering of saliva, it was shown that polymorphisms in the CA VI gene did not affect the process of dental caries.