Association between the dental caries and the human leucocyte antigen DQB1 allele polymorphisms among the Uygur and Han children in Xinjiang

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the association between human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DQB1 allele polymorphisms and the presence dental caries among the Uygur and Han children in Xinjiang. HLA-DQB1 allele in the Uygur and Han children with dental caries and healthy control in Xinjiang was tested (n=40) using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP) DNA parting technology. A total of five specific loci were detected in the HLA-DQB1 locus among the Uygur and Han children. The frequency of the HLA-DQB1*02 allele in the Han group with severe caries (12.5%) was significantly lower than in the control group (32.5%) (P<0.05, OR=0.297). Moreover, the frequency of the HLA-DQB1*05 allele in the Uygur group with severe caries (37.5%) was significantly higher than in the control group (17.5%) (P<0.05, OR=2.829). Caries susceptibility among the Uygur and Han children in Xinjiang is related to the HLA-DQB1 allele. The HLA-DQB1*02 allele may protect against caries among the Han children, whereas the HLA-DQB1*05 allele may be responsible for the susceptibility of the Uygur children to caries.