Tooth agenesis is one of the most common dental anomalies, with a complex and not yet fully elucidated aetiology. Given the crucial role of the Wnt signalling pathway during tooth development, the purpose of this study was to determine whether nucleotide variants of genes encoding components of this signalling pathway might be associated with hypodontia and oligodontia in the Polish population. A set of 34 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in 13 WNT and WNT-related genes were analyzed in a group of 157 patients with tooth agenesis and a properly matched control group (n = 430). In addition, direct sequencing was performed to detect mutations in the MSX1, PAX9 and WNT10A genes. Both single-marker and haplotype analyses showed highly significant association between SNPs in the WNT10A gene and the risk for tooth agenesis. Moreover, nine pathogenic mutations within the coding region of the WNT10A gene were identified in 26 out of 42 (62%) tested patients. One novel heterozygous mutation was identified in the PAX9 gene. Borderline association with the risk of non-syndromic tooth agenesis was also observed for the APC, CTNNB1, DVL2 and WNT11 polymorphisms. In conclusion, nucleotide variants of genes encoding important components of the Wnt signalling pathway might influence the risk of tooth agenesis.

This study suggests that polymorphic variants of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway genes have a role in the susceptibility to orofacial clefts. The DVL2 and AXIN2 genes might be candidate genes for this craniofacial anomaly in the Polish population. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2012.

The CDH1 gene plays an important role during carcinogenesis and craniofacial morphogenesis. Germline mutations in this gene have been described in families presenting syndromic diffuse gastric cancer and orofacial clefts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between nucleotide variants of CDH1 and the risk of non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P). Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CDH1 gene (rs16260, rs9929218, rs7186053, rs4783573, rs16958383, and rs1801552) were genotyped using the TaqMan SNP genotyping assays in 250 patients with NSCL/P and 540 controls from the Polish population. Comparison between patient and control groups showed that the CDH1 rs1801552 variant, under the assumption of recessive model, was associated with a two-fold decrease in the risk of NSCL/P (ORTT vs CT + CC = 0.481, 95 % CI 0.281–0.824, p = 0.007). This association remained statistically significant even after the multiple testing correction. No significant associations with NSCL/P risk were found for the other five tested SNPs. We found a strong association between the cancer predisposing gene CDH1 and the risk of NSCL/P in the Polish population. This result, together with previous observations of co-occurrence of orofacial clefts and a variety of cancer types, suggests the need for replication studies testing rs1801552 in NSCL/P cohorts with a known cancer history.

Partyka M, Chałas R, Dunin-Wilczyńska I, Drohomyretska M, Klatka M. Influence of growth hormone therapy on selected dental and skeletal system parameters. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2018; 25(1): 60-65. doi: 10.5604/12321966.1233573 Abstract Introduction. Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is one of the main indications for growth hormone therapy. One characteristic of this disease is bone age delay in relation to the chronological age. Pituitary dysfunction negatively affects the growth and development of the jaws and teeth of the child. The secretion of endocrine glands regulates growth, development, and gender differentiation. It also controls the growth of bones and teeth, regulates metabolism of calcium and phosphate, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. The primary role in the endocrine system is played by the pituitary gland which is responsible for the production of somatotropin [1]. Dysfunction of the pituitary gland has a negative effect on the growth and development of long bones in the body, and may have an adverse effect on the development of maxilla, mandible and dentition of a child. There is some information in the literature that dental age is delayed in short stature children; the replacement of deciduous teeth by permanent teeth is also delayed, and newly erupted permanent teeth often require orthodontic treatment. Applying hormonal therapy positively affects the process of replacement of dentition [2,3,4,5,6]. Objectives. The aim of the study was to assess bone and dental age, as well as analyze the state of dentition in children diagnosed with GH deficiency treated with growth hormone, depending on the duration of treatment. Materials and method. The study material consisted of 110 children (27 males, 83 females), hospitalized for somatotropin hypopituitarism in the Department of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology at the Medical University of Lublin, Poland. The mean birth age was 13 years (156 months) with a standard deviation of 2 years and 6 months (30 months). 47 children (43%) started treatment with the growth hormone (group starting treatment) and 63 children (57%) whose treatment was started 2-3 years previously (group in the course of treatment). The control group consisted of 41 generally healthy children (15males, 25 females) with ENT problems, such as hypoacusis and a condition after nasal injury, hospitalized in the Department of Paediatric Otolaryngology at the Medical University of Lublin, Poland. The mean age was 11 years and 5 months (137 months) with standard deviation of 2 years and 5 months (29 months).

Our study suggests that polymorphic variants of DNA damage repair genes play a role in the susceptibility to NSCL/P. BRIP1 might be novel candidate gene for this common developmental anomaly.