E-cadherin Single Nucleotide Variants Are Associated with Increasing Susceptibility to Periodontitis

Objectives: To investigate the association of E-cadherin single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with periodontitis and the potential of these SNPs for identifying susceptibility to periodontitis. 

Materials and Methods: Periodontal clinical parameters were recorded followed by collecting venous blood for DNA extraction. Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify target segments of the E-cadherin gene. Determination of the genotype and allele frequencies was performed using Sanger sequencing. All statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism (version 9) using a statistically significant difference of p < 0.05. 

Results: A total of 207 participants were recruited into two groups of healthy controls (n = 105) and cases diagnosed with periodontitis stage 2 or 3, grade B or C (n = 102). Analyses indicated that the genotypes and alleles of rs3743674 and rs5030625 E-cadherin SNPs were significantly associated with periodontitis. Results from a binary regression model suggested that the presence of these SNPs may indicate susceptibility to periodontitis and increase the rate of progression. Linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that E-cadherin variants rs3743674 and rs5030625, and rs10272115 and rs16260 were correlated in a nonrandom manner (r ² = 0.638 and 0.495, respectively).

Conclusion: E-cadherin gene variants, rs3743674 and rs5030625, were associated with the periodontitis phenotype. These biomarkers may identify individuals susceptible to periodontitis and the rate of disease progression.