Exploring genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity in relation to periodontitis risk in individuals of European ancestry

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the periodontium, affecting nearly 50% of U.S. adults over 30 years old. While dental plaque is the primary cause, genetic and environmental factors significantly influence its onset and progression. Emerging evidence suggests genetic predispositions may increase periodontitis risk and linked it to systemic conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and body mass index (BMI) also confer risk for periodontitis. This case-control study included 1147 individuals of European ancestry (252 cases, 895 controls). We examined 48 SNPs previously associated with T2DM and BMI from genome-wide association studies. Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for sex, age and population structure, was used to assess genetic associations. Age and sex were significantly associated with periodontitis, with older individuals and males at higher risk. Nominally significant ( p <0.05) genetic associations were observed for rs12446632 in males and rs6795735 and rs12899811 in females, implicating these single nucleotide polymorphisms in periodontitis susceptibility. However, these associations did not remain significant after multiple testing corrections. This study observed nominal sex-specific associations, highlighting the need for larger, diverse cohorts to explore shared genetic pathways linking these conditions. However, we did not identify significant associations between T2DM- and BMI-related SNPs and periodontitis after correction for multiple testing.