Associations of HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 Types with Oral Diseases in Swiss Adults

Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are crucial components of host defense against microbial challenge but the associations of HLA types with oral infectious diseases have not been studied in detail. This prospective cross-sectional study examined associations of HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 types with common oral diseases in a healthy Swiss adult population. 257 subjects (107 m, 150 f, mean age: 43.5 yr; range: 21–58 yr) with known HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 profiles and comprehensive medical records were included. A thorough anamnesis was followed by oral examinations including saliva flow measurements, the DMFT score for cariological status, complete periodontal status with plaque and bleeding indexes as well as assessment of mucosal alterations and temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD). Student’s t-test and Pearson chi-square test were utilized to compare the oral diseases between HLA positive and negative subjects. Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons was used and P(Bonf)<0.05 was considered statistically significant. HLA types -B15 (P(Bonf) = 0.002), -B51 (P(Bonf) = 0.02) and -DRB1*12 (P(Bonf) = 0.02) were associated with less periodontal disease manifestations. HLA-A32 had a positive association with TMD dysfunction (P(Bonf) = 0.012). No other statistically significant associations were observed. In conclusion, HLA types may contribute to the development of oral diseases in generally healthy Caucasian adults.