Education Status of Oral Genetics at the Fourth Military Medical University and other Chinese Dental Schools.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current state of genetics education at the Fourth Military Medical University (FMMU) and compare it with other dental schools of China. METHODS: Detailed information about the history and current education status of Oral Genetics in the FMMU were collected and questionnaires were completed to acquire the feedback of twenty-seven students on the course. In the other thirty-five dental schools including the capitals of twenty-five provinces and four municipalities in China, information about the oral genetic course were collected by a telephone survey. The contents of survey included whether or not the Oral Genetic course is offered and some basic information about the curriculum (such as the content, hours, teachers' background and teaching methods). RESULTS: Among a total of thirty-six dental schools investigated, six of them (16.7%) offered the Oral Genetic course or related lectures/seminars. The length and contents of the curriculum vary among these schools. The FMMU offered the oral genetic curriculum both to undergraduates and graduated students. Their teachers had a broad range of backgrounds, such as dentistry, biology, genetics, and biochemistry. The students considered the Oral Genetics course to be helpful for their future professional careers. CONCLUSION: Genetic education in dentistry in China is still at a preliminary stage. More effort must be paid to spread the knowledge of Oral Genetics in China. In addition, domestic and international communications and networks for Oral Genetics should be set up in the near future.

[Clinicopathologic analysis and genetic investigation of two families with cherubism].

OBJECTIVE: To study genetic feature, clinical and histopathological characteristic of two Chinese kindreds with cherubism (CBM). METHODS: Two Chinese kindreds with CBM were investigated. The affected individuals of two families were analyzed with medical history, clinical manifestations, classified grading system, radiographic assessment, histopathological findings, and hereditary nature. RESULTS: There were 2 individuals affected with CBM in family A and 3 patients involving three generations in family B. Two probands were diagnosed aggressive form cherubism and classified as grade IV. In histopathological findings, besides varying numbers of multinucleated giant cells in a stroma of fibroblasts and the eosinophilic cuffing surrounding some vessels, actively proliferating areas with clear mitoschisis and relative dormant areas with loose fibrous tissue and bone were also presented in microscopic fields of the lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Cherubism is caused by autosomal dominant inheritance. The diagnosis should be based on the genetic, clinical, radiological, and pathological aspects of the disease.

Germline mutations of the PTCH gene in families with odontogenic keratocysts and nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Odontogenic keratocysts (OKC) are aggressive lesions in the jaws, which can occur as isolated cases or in association with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS). Mutations on PTCH gene have been identified in patients with NBCCS. It was hypothesized that PTCH mutations may be causative in isolated OKC. This study aims to investigate germline mutations of PTCH in families with OKC and NBCCS. METHODS: Three Chinese families with OKC and NBCCS were enrolled in the study. The diagnosis was based on examination and medical history. Mutation analysis was performed by amplifying all exons of PTCH and sequencing the products. RESULTS: One family with isolated OKC (family 1) and the other two families with NBCCS were diagnosed. Three novel germline mutations in PTCH were identified, including a missense mutation (p.S1089 > P) in family 1, a nonsense mutation (p.Q160X) in family 2 and a de novo mutation (c.768_777delGACAAACTTC) in family 3. CONCLUSIONS: It is proposed that isolated OKC can be inherited in an autosomal dominant mode. The results suggest that germline mutations on PTCH can cause isolated OKC, and that the PTCH gene responsible for NBCCS plays an important role in the formation of OKCs even when they are not syndrome-related.