However, its results suggest that various metabolic pathways are involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis in DS, including the PI3K-Akt pathway, which regulates cell proliferation and plays a principal role in the host’s inflammatory response. This preliminary report provides a basis for future studies on the genetic susceptibility of individuals with DS for developing periodontitis and details the pathways that are presumably involved. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and periodontitis.