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Updated: Dec 21, 2025
Inducing Apical Periodontitis in Mice
Published on: August 6, 2019
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene polymorphisms as exacerbating factors of apical periodontitis
Andrea Freer-Rojas1, Luis Carlos Martínez-Garibay1, Fernando Torres-Méndez1
1Department of Endodontics, Dental School, Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
Background:
Two polymorphisms in the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) gene have been associated with inflammatory diseases (-794 CATT5-8 and -173G>C); however, so far there are no reports of studies related to oral health.
Objectives:
To genotype the -794 CATT5-8 and -173G>C MIF polymorphisms in Mexican patients with apical periodontitis as a genetic risk of exacerbation.
Material And Methods:
The study involved 120 patients with apical periodontitis: 60 with a diagnosis of acute apical periodontitis (Group A) and 60 without previous episodes of exacerbation (Group B). Allelic discrimination was performed from peripheral blood DNA; the repeat polymorphism -794 CATT5-8 was genotyped with sequencing, while the -173G>C polymorphism was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using TaqMan probes. The associations between MIF polymorphisms, haplotypes and the risk of exacerbated apical periodontitis were assessed.
Results:
The allele CATT7 was associated with the risk of a stage of acute inflammation (OR = 4.13; 95% CI = 1.82-9.63; p =< 0.001). Regarding the -173G >C polymorphism, a process of inflammation exacerbation was only associated with the CC genotype (OR = 4.1; 95% CI = 1.02-20.84; p = 0.045). The analysis of the haplotype showed that the combination CATT7/C increases the risk of exacerbation of apical periodontitis (OR = 3.57; 95% CI = 1.038-13.300; p = 0.021).
Conclusions:
The polymorphisms -794 CATT5-8 and -173G>C MIF seem to significantly influence the development of a state of exacerbated inflammation in patients with apical periodontitis.
