Polymorphisms of interleukin-1β and MUC7 genes in burning mouth syndrome

The objectives of the present study are to compare polymorphisms of the IL-1 beta and MUC7 genes between patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and controls and to investigate relationships between these polymorphisms and clinical characteristics in BMS patients. Forty female BMS patients and 40 gender- and age-matched controls were included. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva samples. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms of IL-1 beta -511 and +3954 and variation in number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of MUC7 were analyzed. Relationships between genotypic polymorphism data and clinical characteristics in BMS patients were also analyzed. There were no significant differences in the genotypes of IL-1 beta -511 and +3954 and of MUC7 between the groups. There were no significant differences in symptom duration and intensity of BMS patients according to their IL-1 beta and MUC7 genotypes. The T allele of IL-1 beta -511 showed associations with psychometry results in BMS patients: paranoid ideation (P = 0.014), Global Severity Index (P = 0.025), and Positive Symptom Total (P = 0.008). The genotypic polymorphisms of IL-1 beta -511 and +3954, and of MUC7 VNTR, had no direct associations with the development of BMS. However, the T allele of IL-1 beta -511 may increase the risk of BMS by increasing psychological asthenia. The genotypic polymorphisms of IL-1 beta -511 may increase the risk for the development of BMS by increasing psychological asthenia.