Taste Genes Associated with Dental Caries

• Published in: Journal of dental research Vol. 89; no. 11; pp. 1198 - 1202
• Main Authors: Wendell, S., Wang, X., Brown, M., Cooper, M.E., DeSensi, R.S., Weyant, R.J., Crout, R., McNeil, D.W., Marazita, M.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.11.2010; International Association for Dental Research; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adenine; Adult; Alanine - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Cytosine; Dental Caries - etiology; Dental Caries - genetics; Dental Caries Susceptibility - genetics; DMF Index; Facial bones, jaws, teeth, parodontium: diseases, semeiology; Female; Gene Frequency - genetics; Genetic Variation - genetics; Genotype; Guanine; Haplotypes - genetics; Humans; Linkage Disequilibrium - genetics; Male; Medical sciences; Non tumoral diseases; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide - genetics; Proline - genetics; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - genetics; Risk Factors; Taste - genetics; Thymine; Transducin - genetics; Valine - genetics; dental caries; taste pathway genes; genetic association; taste preference; Human; Genetic variability; Stomatology; Dental disease; Dental carie; Genotype; Association; Gene; Gustation; Risk factor; Molecular epidemiology; Genetics; Single nucleotide polymorphism
• ISSN: 0022-0345; 1544-0591
• DOI: 10.1177/0022034510381502

Dental caries is influenced by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors, including dietary habits. Previous reports have characterized the influence of genetic variation on taste preferences and dietary habits. We therefore hypothesized that genetic variation in taste pathway genes (TAS2R38, TAS1R2, GNAT3) may be associated with dental caries risk and/or protection. Families were recruited by the Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA) for collection of biological samples, demographic data, and clinical assessment of oral health, including caries scores. Multiple single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays for each gene were performed and analyzed by transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) analysis (FBAT software) for three dentition groups: primary, mixed, and permanent. Statistically significant associations were seen in TAS2R38 and TAS1R2 for caries risk and/or protection.