IADR Abstract Archives

Enamelin Is Associated with Higher Caries Experience in Brazilian Children

Objective: There is evidence for a genetic component in caries susceptibility. Candidate genes suitable for an etiologic role in caries include genes involved in enamel formation, saliva function, and immune responses. We previously showed that genetic variants in ameloblastin, amelogenin, enamelin, and tuftelin (genes involved in enamel formation) are associated with higher caries experience in Turkish pre-school children. The goal of this study was to replicate these findings in a well-characterized sample of children from Brazil.

Method: For the present study, we used DNA samples collected from 679 unrelated children 12 years of age from Curitiba, a city in the south of Brazil. 513 children were designated ‘low caries experience’ (DMFT<2; i.e., Decayed Missing due to Caries Filled Teeth), and 166 children were designated ‘high caries experience’ (DMFT>3). They had similar dietary habits, oral hygiene practices, fluoride exposure, and access to dental care.  Single-nucleotide polymorphism markers were genotyped in selected candidate genes (ameloblastin, amelogenin, enamelin, tuftelin, and tuftelin interacting protein 11) that influence enamel formation. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to compare the frequencies of alleles and genotypes between the two groups.

Result: The enamelin marker (rs12640848) less common allele was over-represented in children with higher caries experience (p = 0.05).

Conclusion: Variation in enamelin is associated with higher caries experience in Brazilian children. This work is support by the NIH/NIDCR Grant R01-DE18914.

IADR/LAR General Session
2012 IADR/LAR General Session (Iguaçu Falls, Brazil)
Iguaçu Falls, Brazil
2012
15
Cariology Research - Detection, Risk Assessment and Others
  • Faraco, Italo  ( University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA )
  • Brancher, João Armando  ( PUCPR, Curitiba, N/A, Brazil )
  • Pecharki, Giovana  ( PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CAT, Curitiba, N/A, Brazil )
  • Deeley, Kathleen  ( University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA )
  • Shimizu, Takehiko  ( University of Pittsburgh, Matsudo Chiba, N/A, Japan )
  • Trevilatto, Paula  ( Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, N/A, Brazil )
  • Vieira, Alexandre  ( University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA )
    • Oral Session
    Cariology: Answers to Existing Gaps in Caries Detection and Risk Assessment?
    06/20/2012