Association of HLA class II genotypes with the susceptibility to severe chronic periodontitis

Objective: Studies have shown that the genetic contribution plays a significant role on susceptibility to periodontitis, but the genetic markers associated with periodontitis have not been fully elucidated. HLA class II molecules are especially relevant to the immune response in the event of foreign antigen recognition. Genetic polymorphism of the class II genes directly influences individual's immune reactions and degree of responsiveness. This study was performed to investigate the association of HLA class II genetypes and the susceptibility to severe chronic periodontitis (CP) in Han nationality. Methods: 134 severe CP patients and 81 heathy controls of Han nationality were included. Buccal desquamatous cells were collected through buccal swabbing with cotton swab, and DNA was purified through Chelex-100 technique. HLA-DRB1*1501,DQB1*0503 and DQB1*0602 genotypes were determined using PCR-RFLP. The distribution of genotypes and allele frequencies in different groups were compared. Results: It showed that there was a significant over-representation of DRB1*1501,DQB1*0503 and DQB1*0602 in severe CP group than in healthy control (P<0.05). Conclusion: HLA-DRB1*1501,DQB1*0503 and DQB1*0602 may contribute to the increased susceptibility to severe periodontitis in Han nationality.