The Association of HLA Class I and II Antigens in Teenagers with Caries Experience.

OBJECTIVE There have been reports of a relationship between human histocompatibility antigen types and increased incidence of dental caries. The association between specific patterns of HLA genetic inheritance is not clear and not well studied. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between MHC alleles and DMFT index in 65 teenagers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty-five teenagers were recruited from the students of elementary school of the university campus and the patients of the Ataturk University Dental School hospital. Low-resolution typing for the HLA-A, B, C and HLA-DR/DQ were performed by PCR-SSP method using SSP HLA class I generic DNA Typing Tray. RESULTS The results showed that HLA-DRB1*04 and -DRB1*07 frequencies were significantly higher (30.4% and 26.08% respectively) in DMFT≥1 group as compared with DMFT:0 group (10.5% and 5.26%), (p:0.168, OR:3.719; p:0.117, OR:6.353). Although frequencies of HLA-A*2, -B*27 and -B*51 alleles were increased in DMFT≥1 group, they were not statically important. HLA-DRB1*11 were found to be more common in DMFT: 0 groups. CONCLUSIONS The pathogens involve in caries induce immune systems and response via the given HLA alleles could be important.