Genomewide Association Study Identifies Cxcl Family Members as Partial Mediators of LPS-Induced Periodontitis.

Periodontitis (PD) is characterized by bacterial infection and inflammation of tooth-supporting structures and can lead to tooth loss. PD affects ∼47% of the US population over age 30 years and has a heritability of about 50%. Although the host immunoinflammatory response and genetic background play a role, little is known of the underlying genetic factors. We examined natural genetic variation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PD across a panel of inbred mouse strains, the hybrid mouse diversity panel (HMDP). We observed a strain-dependent sixfold difference in LPS-induced bone loss across the HMDP with a heritability of 53%. We performed a genomewide association study (GWAS) using FAST-LMM, which corrects for population structure, and identified loci significantly associated with PD. We examined candidate genes at a locus on chromosome 5, which suggested a relationship between LPS-induced bone loss and, together with expression data, identified Cxcl family members as associated with PD. We observed an increase in Cxcl10 protein, as well as immune cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines in C57BL/6J (high bone loss strain) but not in A/J (low bone loss strain) after LPS injections. Genetic deletion of CXCR3 (Cxcl9 and10 receptor) demonstrated a ∼50% reduction in bone loss and reduced osteoclasts after LPS injections. Furthermore, WT mice treated with AMG-487 (a CXCR3 antagonist) showed a ∼45% reduction in bone loss and decreased osteoclasts after LPS injections. We conclude that CXCR3 is a strong candidate for modulating the host response in individuals susceptible to PD. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.