THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAS2R38 AND TAS1R2 POLYMORPHISMS AND DENTAL
STATUS IN OBESE CHILDREN
Abstract
Aims of the study: We aimed to investigate the effects of TAS2R38
(bitter taste gene) and TAS1R2 (sweet taste gene) gene polymorphisms,
which are the most important members of the Tat gene family, on the
dental status of obese and normal-weight children. Methods used to
conduct the study: The study included 78 healthy children and 100
children diagnosed with obesity (5 - 16 years old). Anthropometric
measurements and the dental status of the children were evaluated. The
DMFT/dmft index of teeth was determined, using standards methods
recommended by world health organization. Blood samples were collected
from all subjects and were analyzed via PCR using specific primers for
the genetic analyses. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)
indicating TAS2R38 gene and TAS1R2 polymorphisms were investigated.
Truncate poisson and truncate negative binomial modeling approach used
with the data. Results of the study: DMFT score was low in obese
children and it was high in children who doesn’t sense bitter taste
(non-taster). While obese non-taster children had increased DMFT scores,
normal weighted non-taster children had decreased DMFT scores.
Conclusions drawn from the study and clinical implications: The alanine,
valine, and isoleucine (AVI), as well as the proline, alanine, and
valine haplotypes (PAV), of the TAS2R38 gene are associated with DMFT
score and obesity. What’s Now: It is known that the sense of taste
affects nutrition. Moreover, nutrition is associated with caries and
obesity. What’s New: The authors studied caries and obesity along with
taste genes in this study. There are little studies in the literature
that study obesity, decay and taste genetics together, and this study
clarifies this issue in three ways. At the same time, an effort was
given to the statistical analysis part Keywords: Oral health, childhood
obesity, tooth decay, TAS2R38 polymorphism, diet, genetic