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Updated: Aug 12, 2026
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Published on: July 12, 2012
DNA methylation changes following rapid maxillary expansion in children
Takayuki Ishiyama1, Masahiro Takahashi2, Hiromi Kamura3
1Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Kanagawa Dental University, 82 Inaoka-Cho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 238-8580, Japan.
Scientific Reports
|August 10, 2026
Summary
Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) alters DNA methylation patterns in saliva, indicating epigenetic changes in response to orthodontic treatment. These findings suggest saliva can reveal RME-induced epigenetic modifications.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Epigenetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) is a common orthodontic treatment for transverse maxillary deficiency.
- RME mechanically separates the midpalatal suture, promoting tissue repair akin to fracture healing.
- Epigenetic mechanisms, like DNA methylation, regulate fracture healing, but their role in RME is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate genome-wide DNA methylation changes in saliva following RME treatment.
- To determine if mechanical stimulation from RME influences epigenetic dynamics in humans.
Main Methods:
- Saliva samples were collected from 20 RME patients and 4 controls before (T0) and after (T1) treatment.
- Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling was performed using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylationEPIC v2.0 BeadChip.
- Differential methylation analysis was conducted using linear models accounting for within-subject correlations.
Main Results:
- 164 CpG sites showed differential methylation in the RME group between T0 and T1 (FDR < 0.05).
- No significant methylation changes were observed in the control group.
- Differentially methylated genes are involved in inflammatory pathways and metabolic processes.
Conclusions:
- RME treatment is associated with detectable changes in salivary DNA methylation.
- Saliva can serve as a non-invasive source for identifying RME-induced epigenetic responses.
- These findings provide a foundation for further research into the epigenetic mechanisms of RME.
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