BACKGROUND: Plaque-induced gingivitis is the most prevalent periodontal disease associated with pathogenic biofilms. The host immune system responds to pathogens through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and their co-receptor cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14). AIM: This study investigated the association between the functional polymorphism in the CD14 gene and the dental plaque microbiota in children with gingivitis. DESIGN: A total of 590 unrelated children (307 with plaque-induced gingivitis and 283 controls, aged 13-15 years) were enrolled in this case-control study. Dental plaque was processed using a ParoCheck® 20 detection kit. The CD14 -260C/T (rs2569190) polymorphism was determined with the PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: Gingivitis was detected in 64.2% of boys and 35.8% of girls (P < .001). Children with gingivitis had a significantly higher occurrence of dental caries (P < .001). No significant differences in the CD14 -260C/T allele and genotype distribution among individuals with or without gingivitis in the whole cohort were found. Children with gingivitis and P gingivalis, however, were significantly more frequent carriers of the CT and TT genotypes than children with gingivitis without P gingivalis or healthy controls (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The CD14 -260C/T polymorphism acts in cooperation with P gingivalis to trigger plaque-induced gingivitis in Czech children.

Department of Pathophysiology Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

Department of Stomatology Faculty of Medicine Institution Shared with St Anne's Faculty Hospital Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

Institute of Dental Medicine 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University and General University Hospital Prague Prague Czech Republic

Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment Chemistry Section Faculty of Science Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

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