Periodontal disease may result from reduced levels of the enzyme cathepsin C, as well as environmental factors and poor dental hygiene, according to research published in the December issue of Nature Genetics.
A team of oral biologists and geneticists from Manchester, England, studied eight families that had histories of Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome—a rare disorder that includes severe early-onset periodontitis and premature tooth loss.
They found that almost all of the subjects had complete cathepsin C deficit, which they determined was caused by genetic mutations. Without sufficient levels of the enzyme, the subjects’ immune systems could not defend the oral cavity against bacteria in dental plaque, and the resulting infections quickly destroyed the membranes and ligaments securing the subjects’ teeth.
Reseachers say cathepsin C appears to trigger a complex web of immunological reactions that destroy diseased cells and eliminate oral infections. Their findings suggest that even slightly reduced levels of cathepsin C—caused by genetic mutation—may reduce a person’s ability to ward off periodontitis.
This may explain the recurrence of periodontitis in the general population, especially in elderly people, who might gradually lose their capacity to produce sufficient levels of cathepsin C.
