rs115549271 (HLA-DRB5): Dental Disease GWAS

Key takeaways

• rs115549271 is in the HLA-DRB9/HLA-DRB5 gene region and has been studied in the context of dental disease genetics research.
• A GWAS (genome-wide association study) meta-analysis of 45,525 Japanese individuals combined with prior European-predominant data examined genetic contributors to dental caries and periodontal disease.
• Two novel dental caries loci were confirmed in the GLIS3 and SIGLEC5 genes, but the available study text does not explicitly name rs115549271 as a lead associated variant.
• Evidence for this specific variant is preliminary, and further research is needed before strong conclusions can be drawn.
• Asian populations remain underrepresented in oral disease GWAS research, a gap the study authors identified as significant.

What the research says A GWAS meta-analysis examined 45,525 Japanese individuals with self-reported histories of dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal disease (gum disease), then integrated those findings with a prior large-scale GWAS predominantly involving European populations. The study found that oral bacteria - including Streptococcus mutans for caries and Porphyromonas gingivalis for periodontal disease - drive these conditions, and that interactions among host response, genetic factors, and environmental factors all contribute to disease risk. Two novel dental caries loci were identified - rs10974056 in GLIS3 and rs4801882 in SIGLEC5 - while no new periodontal disease loci were found, and the available text does not explicitly identify rs115549271 in the HLA-DRB9/HLA-DRB5 gene region as a genome-wide significant finding.

Reported associations

• Dental caries: rs115549271 is situated within the HLA-DRB9/HLA-DRB5 genomic region, which falls within the scope of the dental disease GWAS meta-analysis described above. No explicit effect size or significance threshold for this specific variant is available from the provided study text.
• Periodontal disease: The same GWAS examined this condition across the same combined populations. No new associated loci were identified overall, and no specific association for rs115549271 is reported in the available study text.

Evidence quality The supporting research used a GWAS meta-analysis design, combining a Japanese cohort of 45,525 individuals with a prior European-predominant dataset, applying standard genotyping quality control and genotype imputation across multiple genotyping platforms. The study authors acknowledged that substantial genetic and lifestyle variation across ethnicities makes multi-ethnic research imperative, and noted that Asian population data in oral disease genetics remains limited. Two novel dental caries associations were confirmed at GLIS3 and SIGLEC5, but rs115549271 in this locus is not explicitly named as a genome-wide significant finding in the available text. Evidence for this variant should therefore be treated as preliminary and unconfirmed based on the data provided.

Lifestyle considerations No lifestyle considerations on file for this variant.