Impact of miR-146a-3p rs2910164 polymorphism on peri-implantitis susceptibility and target gene-mediated inflammatory responses

<h4>Objectives</h4>This study investigated the association between miR-146a-3p rs2910164 polymorphism and peri-implantitis (PI) susceptibility in the Han Chinese population, as well as the potential mechanisms underlying PI progression.<h4>Material and methods</h4>183 PI patients and 219 individuals with healthy implants were enrolled. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect miR-146a-3p expression levels and analyze the impact of rs2910164 genotypes on these levels. The study compared the association between rs2910164 polymorphism and PI susceptibility, evaluated participants' periodontal health status, and predicted miR-146a-3p target genes via bioinformatics methods, followed by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) enrichment analyses. The regulatory relationship between miR-146a-3p and ITBG7 was validated by dual luciferase assays.<h4>Results</h4>miR-146a-3p expression was elevated in PI patients, with significantly higher levels in those carrying the CG/GG genotypes of rs2910164. Additionally, the GG genotype and G allele of rs2910164 were more prevalent in PI patients, who also exhibited poorer periodontal status. The GG genotype and G allele were identified as risk factors for PI. miR-146a-3p may contribute to PI progression by regulating inflammation-related signaling pathways. The existence of miR-146a-3p and ITBG7 had a negative regulatory relationship.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The miR-146a-3p rs2910164 polymorphism holds promise as a potential biomarker for predicting PI occurrence. miR-146a-3p might modulate inflammation-related signaling pathways via ITBG7 and may play a role in the regulation of PI progression.