Polymorphism of salivary histatin gene and periodontal disease in the Japanese population.

Chronic periodontitis is a widespread and major dental disease. Recent studies have analyzed a possible relationship between polymorphism of several genes and periodontitis. Histatins are salivary polypeptides with fungicidal activities against Candida albicans and yeast and bactericidal activities against Porphyromonas gingivalis and Streptococcus mutans.

Cooperation of salivary protein histatin 3 with heat shock cognate protein 70 relative to the G1/S transition in human gingival fibroblasts.

Histatins, a family of salivary proteins, have antimicrobial activity. Candida albicans, which is killed by histatins, induces oral candidiasis in individuals with compromised immune systems. Although the functional significance of histatins has been documented, their biological and physiological functions against host cells have not been clarified.

Transcriptional regulation of the salivary histatin gene: finding of a strong positive regulatory element and its binding protein.

Histatins are salivary proteins found and expressed in human salivary glands. They play a role in the non-immune system of antimicrobial defense, for instance, against Candida albicans. The transcriptional regulatory sequences of the histatin gene, HIS1, have remained obscure for a long time.

Polymorphism of genes encoding toll-like receptors and inflammatory cytokines in periodontal disease in the Japanese population.

Periodontitis, which is a widespread and major dental disease, is a multifactorial, lifestyle-related disease and has been analyzed for gene polymorphism. We examined the frequency of the polymorphisms of the pro-inflammatory cytokine genes IL-1 A (-889) and IL-1 B (+3953) in relation to periodontitis in the Japanese population. We also examined whether polymorphism of TLR2 (Arg677Trp) and TLR4 (Asp299Gly), which are receptors recognized by periodontopathic bacteria, may also be associated with periodontitis.

Recovery of genomic DNA from lingual mucosal cells in sufficient quantity and quality.

Purpose: To investigate whether genomic DNA can be purified in sufficient quantity and quality from the oral cavity.

Methods: One milliliter of peripheral blood and saliva were collected. The buccal and lingual mucosal cells were also obtained using 10 strokes with a swab or a toothbrush, respectively.