Letícia Ladeira Bonato

BMP4 and FGF3 haplotypes increase the risk of tendinopathy in volleyball athletes

OBJECTIVES To investigate whether genetic variants can be correlated with tendinopathy in elite male volleyball athletes. DESIGN Case-control study. METHODS Fifteen single nucleotide polymorphisms within BMP4, FGF3, FGF10, FGFR1 genes were investigated in 138 elite volleyball athletes, aged between 18 and 35 years, who undergo 4-5h of training per day: 52 with tendinopathy and 86 with no history of pain suggestive of tendinopathy in patellar, Achilles, shoulder, and hip abductors tendons. The clinical diagnostic criterion was progressive pain during training, confirmed by magnetic resonance image. Genomic DNA was obtained from saliva samples. Genetic markers were genotyped using TaqMan real-time PCR. Chi-square test compared genotypes and haplotype differences between groups. Multivariate logistic regression analyzed the significance of covariates and incidence of tendinopathy. RESULTS Statistical analysis revealed participant age (p=0.005) and years of practice (p=0.004) were risk factors for tendinopathy. A significant association between BMP4 rs2761884 (p=0.03) and tendinopathy was observed. Athletes with a polymorphic genotype have 2.4 times more susceptibility to tendinopathy (OR=2.39; 95%CI=1.10-5.19). Also, association between disease and haplotype TTGGA in BMP4 (p=0.01) was observed. The FGF3 TGGTA haplotype showed a tendency of association with tendinopathy (p=0.05), and so did FGF10 rs900379. FGFR1 showed no association with disease. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that haplotypes in BMP4 and FGF3 genes may contribute to the tendon disease process in elite volleyball athletes.

A Study of the Association Between Sleep Bruxism, Low Quality of Sleep, and Degenerative Changes of the Temporomandibular Joint.

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of degenerative bone changes of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in individuals suffering from sleep bruxism (SB), associating these characteristics with the quality of sleep. For this, we followed the International Classification of Sleep Disorders for the diagnosis of SB, in addition to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) for the classification of TMD and cone beam computed tomography. It was found that 97.7% of the individuals with bruxism had at least 1 RDC/TMD group III diagnosis, 75.6% of the subjects considered their sleep quality as poor, and the largest group (23%) had centric bruxism. There was no significant association between the pattern of sleep quality (P = 0.36), the type of SB (P = 0.277), and the presence of degenerative changes of the TMJ. Regardless of the quality of sleep and the type of bruxism presented, the prevalence of degenerative bone disorders was high (67%) among women with a mean age of 46 years and a clinical diagnosis of SB.

Bruxismo: uma abordagem genética

O bruxismo e definido como uma atividade repetitiva dos musculos mastigatorios caracterizada pelo ranger e/ou apertar de dentes com diferentes manifestacoes circadianas. Devido a complexidade da condicao e a variedade de disturbios associados ressalta-se a necessidade de um conhecimento detalhado sobre possiveis fatores individuais a fim de direcionar a conduta especifica para consequencias do bruxismo. A obtencao de dados genetico-moleculares para estudo da possivel relacao entre genetica e bruxismo acarretaria em um melhor diagnostico e tratamento dos bruxomanos. Dessa forma, o presente estudo buscou elucidar essa relacao por meio de uma revisao de literatura. Estudos atuais mostraram indicios da influencia de genes da via dopaminergica e seratoninergica no desenvolvimento do bruxismo. Com base em relacoes que possam existir entre fatores geneticos e a origem da condicao, mostra-se necessaria a ampliacao do campo de pesquisa genetica-molecular no objetivo de elucidar mecanismos associados e/ou desencadeantes da parafuncao, possibilitando diagnosticos e tratamentos precisos.

Enamel wear evolution: Evaluation using statistical mixed models for 2D profilometry data

Two-dimensional profilometry is an inexpensive well-established technique to identify indicators of tooth wear. Four surface parameters (Ra, Rq, Rsk, and Rku) were selected in this work to evaluate worn dental surfaces using two-dimensional profilometry. Eight subjects with dental wear were molded four times with a 15 days interval. To verify data correlation, a mixed-effects model was adjusted. The results indicated that Ra, Rq, Rsk are time dependent, while Rku remained constant. Rsk and Rku values were useful to identify surfaces. Skewness had oscillatory variations and Rku was tending toward a constant rate for a longer period. Two regimens were suggested: (1) transient and (2) self-limiting. Final variation rates indicated that, although enamel wear transiently modifies the surface, it maintains its isotropic characteristic: symmetrical and approximately normal asperities distribution.

Dental genetics in Brazil: Where we are

Dentistry constitutes the basic nucleus of professionals of higher level of health in Brazil with one of the largest concentrations of dentists per capita in the world. However, the genetic in dentistry in Brazil is explored, basically, in research field. Future actions need to be performed in order to deep the whole knowledge about diagnosis and treatment of diseases with genetic basis in dentistry, in Brazil.

Peri-implant mucosae inflammation during osseointegration is correlated with low levels of epidermal growth factor/epidermal growth factor receptor in the peri-implant mucosae

Peri-implant mucosae inflammation during osseointegration period can promote host response imbalance and bone resorption by bacteria infiltration. Aim: To evaluate the association between EGF and EGFR gene expressions in the peri-implant tissue with mucosae inflammation during osseointegration period. Material and Methods: Forty-nine participants, with 59 endosseos implants, were recruited for this study. All participants included were rehabilitated with implants in two stages surgical protocol, presenting favorable bone quality and quantity. Osseointegration was evaluated one month after exposure surgery, wich was performed three months (mandible) and 6 months (maxillary) after implant placement. The criteria to consider the proper osseointegration were: Implant immobility; absence of peri-implant radiolucency; and no clinical signs of inflammation. Based on clinical and radiographic characteristics of peri-implant sites, participants were characterized as (i) having healing without complications (with proper osseointegration without mobility of the implant, and without clinical signs of mucosal inflammation) (control group) or (ii) failure peri-implant healing (with inadequate osseointegration characterized by signs of mucosae inflammation and/or implant mobility) (test group). Gingival biopsies were collected from 49 participants after osseointegration period, during the exposure procedure. Total RNA from gingival samples was isolated using the Trizol® reagent. The reaction of reverse transcription of PCR was performed for the synthesis of complementary DNA from 300ng RNA using Improm-II Reverse Transcription System™. Specific primers for EGF (NM_001963.4) and EGFR (NM_005228.3) were based on the BLAST data. The Livak method (2-ΔΔCT) was used to determine the relative quantification of the expression of EGF and EGFR. The values were normalized by relative expression of β-actin. Results: There was no difference between control and test groups to race, sex, age, alcohol consumption, general medical conditions, current medications, edentulism and periodontal phenotype. All RNA samples revealed proportions A260 nm/A280 nm more than 1.9. EGF and EGFR showed significant lower expression in gingival tissues removed from regions with failure healing (test group). EGF showed mRNA expression with an average of 44.53 ± 79.16 and 01.02 ± 1:33 in the control groups and test, respectively (P = 0.008). Similarly EGFR expression was significantly higher in the control group (102.03 ± 329.57) compared to the test group (7.85 ± 4.16) (P = 0:04). Conclusion: Low levels of EGF and EGFR are associated with inadequate healing of mucosal peri-implant during the osseointegration period.