Affiliations: División de Medicina Molecular, Centro de
Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, Guadalajara Jalisco,
México | Servicio de Oncología, Hospital de
Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, IMSS, Guadalajara
Jalisco, México | Servicio de Endocrinología, Hospital de
Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, IMSS, Guadalajara
Jalisco, México | Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital de Especialidades,
Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, IMSS, Guadalajara Jalisco,
México | Servicio de Epidemiología, Guadalajara Jalisco,
México, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional de
Occidente, IMSS, Guadalajara Jalisco, México
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. en C. Martha Patricia Gallegos,
División de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Investigación
Biomédica de Occidente, Sierra Mojada No. 800, Colonia Independencia,
C.P 44340, Guadalajara, Jalisco. México. Fax: +52 3 618 17 56; E-mail:
marthaga@foreigner.class.udg.mx
Abstract: Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a dimeric detoxifying isoenzyme,
involved in the deactivation of carcinogens, several tobacco-derived
carcinogens, and xenobiotics. It catalyzes the reduction of glutathione to its
thioester; thus, deficiency in GST activity due to homozygous deletion of the
GSTT1 gene (null genotype) may play a role in the induction of lung cancer by
smoking. We studied the distribution of GSTT1 gene deletion in peripheral
blood DNA samples from 178 healthy controls (41 nonsmokers, 63 passive smokers
and 74 smokers) and 52 lung cancer patients. Comparisons between groups showed
that there was an increased lung cancer risk for individuals with the GSTT1
null genotype. Cancer patients showed significant differences when compared
with controls: nonsmokers, passive smokers, and smokers. Twenty-one percent of
lung cancer patients carried the deletion versus 2% among nonsmokers not
exposed to passive smoking, 6% among passive smokers, and 5% among smokers.
Thus, there is a significant association between this genotype and the
possibility to risk of developing lung cancer.
Keywords: polymorphism, GSTT1, lung cancer, Mexican population
Journal: Disease Markers, vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 259-261, 2003,2004
