Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha − 308 Gene Polymorphism in the Association between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Periodontitis in South Indian Population

Objective: To investigate if tumor necrosis factor‑alpha (TNF‑α) G308A polymorphism influences the association between generalized chronic periodontitis (GCP) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in South Indian population. Materials and Methods: Clinical parameters were recorded in 99 CP patients who were categorized into two groups. The control group consisted of 49 individuals without GDM. The test group included fifty GCP patients with GDM. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid was extracted from all the participants. The locus − 308 of TNF‑α has frequently been associated with CP and DM, and hence this locus has been chosen for the study. Genotyping was carried out using allele‑specific‑polymerase chain reaction, and the frequencies of genotype were analyzed between the groups. Results: The distribution of genotype and allele frequencies showed significant differences between the study groups. The frequency of GA genotype was significantly higher in CP patients with GDM compared to patients without GDM (P = 0.014). The frequency of A allele was also significantly higher in GDM patients (31%) than non‑GDM patients (13%) with CP. Conclusion: TNF‑α G308A polymorphism could be a risk factor for the association between GDM and CP in South Indian population.