Genetic analysis of non-syndromic familial multiple supernumerary premolars.

OBJECTIVE: Supernumerary teeth, a term describing a condition where patients have an abnormally large number of teeth, can be associated with non-syndromic or syndromic phenotypes. PDGFRs are cell surface tyrosine kinase receptors, and are involved in several aspects of tooth development. The purpose of this study was to identify causative genes of familial supernumerary teeth and the molecular pathogenesis of tooth number abnormalities through genetic analysis of a family that showed supernumerary premolars in two successive generations.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We recruited a Korean family with supernumerary premolars and performed mutational analyses to identify the underlying molecular genetic aetiology.

RESULTS: Targeted exome sequencing identified a missense mutation in PDGFRB (c.C2053T, p.R685C). Sanger sequencing confirmed that three affected individuals in the patient's family were heterozygous for the mutation.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of a Korean family that carries a PDGFRB mutation potentially responsible for supernumerary premolars. Our results demonstrate the power of next-generation sequencing in rapidly determining the genetic aetiology of numerical tooth abnormalities.