PYCARD gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to periodontal and coronary heart diseases

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Cardiology
• Periodontology

Background:

• Inflammasome gene variants are associated with periodontitis and cardiovascular disease.
• The PYCARD gene's role in these conditions requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between PYCARD gene polymorphism and susceptibility to periodontal disease and coronary heart disease (CHD).
• To correlate PYCARD gene variants with clinical periodontal indices.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 120 participants across four groups: healthy controls, periodontitis patients, CHD patients, and patients with both conditions.
• Genomic DNA was analyzed for PYCARD gene variants using polymerase chain reaction.
• Clinical periodontal indices were measured, including plaque index, clinical attachment loss, bleeding on probing, and pocket depth.

Main Results:

• Significant prevalence of T and G alleles and CT, TT genotypes in PYCARD C/T (rs8056505), and AG genotype in PYCARD A/G (rs372507365) were observed in patients with periodontitis and/or CHD.
• These PYCARD single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed a positive correlation with the severity of clinical periodontitis indices.
• Increased frequency of specific PYCARD alleles and genotypes were associated with elevated risk for periodontal disease and CHD.

Conclusions:

• PYCARD gene polymorphisms are significantly associated with an increased risk of developing periodontal disease and coronary heart disease.
• These identified PYCARD SNPs may play a role in the pathogenesis of both periodontitis and CHD.
• The study suggests PYCARD genetic markers could serve as risk factors for these diseases, particularly in the Iraqi population.