Genetic variation in Ameloblastin is associated with caries in asthmatic children

AIM: Evidence suggests caries experience is higher in children with asthma. In this study, we compared caries experience in asthmatic and non-asthmatic children and defined whether variation in the distribution of caries experience differs between the two groups and is dependent of the presence of genetic variation in enamel formation genes. METHODS: Children with asthma were recruited at the Istanbul University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonary Diseases, and non-affected children were recruited at the Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Pedodontics. Cases (N=100) were defined as children between the ages of 6 and 12 years with asthma and controls (N=100) as children without asthma. Cases and controls were matched by sex and age. All study subjects received a complete dental exam, provided demographic and other caries and asthma risk factors data, and a saliva sample for DNA extraction. Caries experience was defined based on DMFT/dmft and DMFS/dmfs scores. Genotypes of 11 SNPs were selected in intronic regions of enamel development genes. PCR with TaqMan chemistry were used for genotyping all selected markers. Association between caries experience (caries free versus caries affected) depending on asthma status and SNPs was tested with PLINK by logistic regression, adjusting by risk, and other preventive measures. P-values below 0.0045 (0.05/11) were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis showed an association between AMBN rs4694075 and caries experience (p=2.525e-007). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides, for the first time, evidence that ameloblastin is associated with caries in asthmatic children