ASSOCIATION BETWEEN VITAMIN D RECEPTOR FOKI POLYMORPHISM AND CHRONIC PERIODONTITIS IN SYRIAN POPULATION

Background: Chronic periodontitis (ChP) is the most common form of periodontal diseases. The progression rate may be influenced by local, systemic conditions and environmental factors that can alter the normal host response to bacterial plaque and affect the susceptibility to disease. Several studies have reported a role for vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms in numerous immunological activities. The present study purpose was to investigate whether FokI polymorphisms in the VDR gene were associated with the incidence of ChP in a Syrian population. Methods: The study sample comprised eighty Syrian subjects who were allocated into two groups. 50 patients were included in the group (ChP), whereas 30 matched individuals with no periodontal disease were included in the group (R). DNA was isolated from peripheral blood cells. Subsequently, genotyping of the (VDR) polymorphism was performed by a polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis using FokI enzyme. Statistical analysis was carried out to assess the differences between study groups. Results: Alleles T and C were present at frequencies of 54% and 46% respectively in group ChP compared to 57% and 43% in group (R). No significant differences were found between the study groups in the frequencies of alleles and genotypes (p>0.05). Similarly, no significant association was observed between the severity of the disease and the frequencies of genotypes TT, CT and CC (p>0.05). Conclusion: VDR FokI polymorphism is not associated with chronic periodontitis in the studied Syrian population.