牙周炎的特征是牙周组织的不可逆破坏。目前,公认的牙周炎病因是基于三因素理论,包括致病菌,宿主因素,和后天因素。牙周炎的发展通常需要十年或更长时间,因此被称为慢性牙周炎(CP)。寻找与CP相关的遗传因素,进行了几项全基因组关联研究(GWAS)分析;然而,尚未发现与CP相关的多态性。表观遗传学,另一方面,由于染色质可及性的可逆改变,涉及获得性转录调节机制。表观遗传状态是特定于每个组织和细胞的条件,主要由宿主细胞对局部因素刺激的反应决定,比如细菌炎症,和系统因素,如营养状况,代谢性疾病,和健康状况。重要的是,表观遗传状态与几种获得性疾病的发生和发展有关。因此,牙周组织中的表观遗传因素是牙周炎诊断和治疗的有吸引力的目标。在这次审查中,我们引入积累的证据来揭示遗传因素引起的牙周炎相关的表观遗传背景效应,全身性疾病,和当地的环境因素,比如吸烟,并阐明表观遗传改变影响牙周炎易感性的潜在机制。
Periodontitis is characterized by irreversible destruction of periodontal tissue. At present, the accepted etiology of periodontitis is based on a three-factor theory including pathogenic bacteria, host factors, and acquired factors. Periodontitis development usually takes a decade or longer and is therefore called chronic periodontitis (CP). To search for genetic factors associated with CP, several genome-wide association study (GWAS) analyses were conducted; however, polymorphisms associated with CP have not been identified. Epigenetics, on the other hand, involves acquired transcriptional regulatory mechanisms due to reversibly altered chromatin accessibility. Epigenetic status is a condition specific to each tissue and cell, mostly determined by the responses of host cells to stimulations by local factors, like bacterial inflammation, and systemic factors such as nutrition status, metabolic diseases, and health conditions. Significantly, epigenetic status has been linked with the onset and progression of several acquired diseases. Thus, epigenetic factors in periodontal tissues are attractive targets for periodontitis diagnosis and treatments. In this review, we introduce accumulating evidence to reveal the epigenetic background effects related to periodontitis caused by genetic factors, systemic diseases, and local environmental factors, such as smoking, and clarify the underlying mechanisms by which epigenetic alteration influences the susceptibility of periodontitis.