Poster 90, Language: EnglishGonzáles, José Roberto/Michel, Jörg/Hockamp, Meike/Herrmann, Jens Martin/Boedeker, Rolf Hasso/Meyle, Joerg
Different Th-cell subsets may have a profound effect on the character of the immune response in periodontal disease. The cytokine IL-4 plays a major role in directing Th2 cell development. In a recent study, we identified two polymorphisms in the human IL-4 gene, which in combination showed a higher correlation to patients of north European heritage (EU) with aggressive periodontitis when compared to controls. The present investigation was undertaken to compare the distribution of this combined IL-4 genotype in two different populations and to determine the role of IL-4 genotypes in the immune response influenced by aggressive periodontitis. The -590 (CVT) promoter- and the 70 bp repeat (intron 2) polymorphisms were detected by specific primers and amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from dry blood samples taken in Central America (CA) from 16 patients and 14 controls. All of them were examined by a single experienced investigator and included in the study according to clinical parameters and radiographs. Man-Whitney-U-Test and Fisher's Exact Test were used in order to compare genotype frequencies between patients and controls in both populations (CA versus EU). A significant difference between both controls (p
Keywords: genetic polymorphisms, Interleukin-4, aggressive periodontitis, molecular biology