Abstract

BACKGROUND: Apical Periodontitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease that affects the tissues surrounding the root end of a tooth. The disease which is caused by endodontic infections presents in different clinical ways including development of an acute abscess. Recent studies have provided information suggesting role of a multitude of factors in pathogenesis of acute apical abscess (AAA). In this case-control study, our goal was to evaluate the frequency and potential role of two common polymorphisms of toll like receptor-4 (TLR-4) gene; Thr399Ile (1196 C>T) and Asp299Gly (+896 A>G), in 50 patients with AAA as cases and 50 patients with asymptomatic apical periodontitis (AAP) as controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Saliva sample containing mucosal epithelial cells was used for DNA extraction. Polymorphisms were detected by Tetra-ARMS (Amplification Refractory Mutation System) PCR method. Statistical analyses were carried out in SPSS 21 software. RESULTS: Homozygous wild type (CC) and heterozygous (CT) genotypes of Thr399Ile polymorphism were detected in 84 and 16 of AAA patients respectively. In controls, respective ratios were 94 (CC) and 6 (CT). Observed difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05) for distribution of these genotypes. The mutant homozygous (TT) genotype of this polymorphism was identified in neither of the participants. Overall, T allele frequency was obtained 8 in AAA and 3 in AAP (OR=2.6, 95 CI; 0. 6-10.6, p>0.05). For Asp299Gly polymorphism, no individual was detected with the mutant allele in case or control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated a possible role for Thr399Ile polymorphism in acute presentations of abscess in AAA. However, the impact of this polymorphism needs to be more assessed in future studies. Key words:Genetic polymorphism, periapical abscess, periapical periodontitis, toll-like receptor 4.