Matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -3 gene promoter polymorphisms in Japanese patients with periodontitis

Background/aims: Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-3 have important roles in the connective tissue remodelling and destruction processes in periodontitis. MMP-1 1G/2G (−1607) and MMP-3 5A/6A (−1171) polymorphisms have been identified and appear to influence the transcription of the genes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these gene promoter polymorphisms were associated with the susceptibility to periodontitis.

Material and Methods: Genomic DNA was obtained from 37 generalised aggressive, 205 slight-to-severe generalised chronic-periodontitis patients and 142 healthy subjects. All subjects were non-smoking Japanese. We genotyped by using TaqMan® PCR assay. The statistics were analysed by χ²-test.

Results: We found no significant differences in genotype distributions, allele frequencies, carriage rates and haplotype frequencies in the MMP-1 and the MMP-3 gene promoter polymorphisms among all groups. The distributions of MMP-1 and MMP-3 genotypes in our study were different from those of previously reported in Caucasians or Brazilians, but consistent with previously reported in Japanese.

Conclusion: Our data did not support the hypothesis that MMP-1 and/or MMP-3 gene promoter polymorphisms influenced the susceptibility to periodontitis in Japanese patients, indicating MMP-1 and MMP-3 expressions were regulated by complex processes such as cytokine network in periodontal disease rather than gene polymorphisms.