Lack of association between the TNF alpha G -308 A promoter polymorphism and periodontal disease

BACKGROUND: Immunorelevant gene polymorphisms might influence the susceptibility for periodontal disease. The present study assessed the frequency of a promoter polymorphism (-308G-to-A) of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha gene in patients with periodontitis and controls. METHODS: Eighty-one patients with generalized chronic periodontitis and 80 healthy controls were genotyped for the -308 polymorphism of the TNF alpha gene by PCR amplification and subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The diagnosis of chronic periodontitis was made for each subject on basis of standardized clinical and radiographic criteria. RESULTS: In patients with peridontitis and controls, the frequency of the TNF alpha-308 A allele was comparable (19.1% [31/162] versus 13.8% [22/160]; p=0.193). CONCLUSION: The present study revealed no association between the -308 TNF alpha gene polymorphism and periodontal disease.