Investigation of IL4 gene polymorphism in individuals with different levels of chronic periodontitis in a Brazilian population

Background: Cytokines are key factors that mediate the inflammatory process during periodontal disease. Recent works have shown that the levels of cytokine expression are regulated by genetic polymorphisms, and that these variations can interfere with the progression of disease. The-590 (C-->T) polymorphism of the IL4 gene is associated with high levels of IgE in asthmatic families, and the frequency of the T allele was increased in asthmatic children. The concentration of IgE in gingival tissue was found to be elevated in patients with periodontitis. Objective: In this study the relationship between the-590 (C-->T) polymorphism in the IL4 gene and different levels of chronic periodontal disease was investigated. Material and Methods: DNA was extracted from buccal epithelial cells of 113 unrelated adult individuals with different levels of periodontitis. The PCR-RFLP technique was used to investigate the polymorphism in the promoter of IL4 gene. Results: No significant differences in the allele and genotype frequencies of the polymorphism were found between control and groups with periodontal disease. Conclusion: We conclude that the-590 (C-->T) polymorphism in the IL4 gene is not associated with the susceptibility to chronic periodontal disease.