Gluthatione-S-transferase T1-null genotype predisposes adults to acute promyelocytic leukemia; a case-control study.

Polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase (GST) proteins are correlated with elevated risk of many cancers including hematologic malignancies. Particularly concerning acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), the studies on association between GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 and the disease predisposition are scarce and contradictory. The aim of this study was to examine whether polymorphic variations in GST confer susceptibility to APL. GSTM1 and GSTT1 null and GSTP1 Ile105Val alleles were determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-RFLP, respectively, in 114 APL patients and 99 healthy controls. Frequency of GSTT1 null and GSTM1 null genotypes were higher in APL group which it was statistically significant for GSTT1 null (p< 0.01). The GSTM1 null and GSTT1 null conferred a 1.36-fold (OR= 1.36, 95% CI = 0.79-2.33, p= 0.18) and 2.14-fold (OR= 2.14; 95% CI: 1.18-3.92, p= 0.013) increase in risk of APL, respectively, relative to the presence of the GSTM1 or GSTT1 genes. GSTP1 Ile105/Val105 and Val105/Val105 genotypes showed no increase in the risk of APL (OR= 0.94; 95% CI: 0.52-1.67 and OR= 1.12; 95% CI: 0.48-2.60, respectively). Our results suggest that GSTT1 null genotype may be associated with increased risk of APL.