Association between glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk in patients from Kazakhstan.

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and the incidence is increasing in developed as well as developing countries including Kazakhstan. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are considered to be cancer susceptibility genes as they play a role in the detoxification of carcinogenic species. In this case-control study the influence of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms on CRC risk in Kazakhstan population were evaluated.

METHODS

Blood samples were collected from patients diagnosed with rectal or colon cancer (300 individuals) as well as a control cohort of healthy volunteers (300 individuals), taking into account the age, gender, ethnicity, and smoking habits of the CRC patients. Deletion polymorphisms were genotyped employing a multiplex PCR amplification method. Association between polymorphisms and CRC susceptibility risk was calculated using multivariate analysis and logistic regression for odd ratio (OR).

RESULTS

The homozygous GSTM1 null genotype was associated with significantly increased risk of CRC (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.45-2.79, p = 0.0001) while the homozygous GSST1 null genotype was not associated with the risk of developing CRC (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.78-1.55, p = 0.001), but the heterozygous genotype correlated with CRC susceptibility (OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.30-3.00, p = 0.001). Also, separate analyses of each of the main ethnic groups (Kazakh and Russian) showed a strong association of GSTM1 null genotype with CRC risk (for Kazakhs OR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.35-4.10, p = 0.006 and for Russians OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.17-2.89, p = 0.003). The CRC risk of GSTM1 null genotype in smokers was considerably higher (OR = 3.37, 95% CI = 1.78-6.38, p = 0.0007). The combination of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes in combined mixed population of Kazakhstan showed a trend to increasing the risk of developing CRC (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.00-2.56), but it was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the results of this case-control study for sporadic cases of CRC show that GSTM1 deletion polymorphisms can have predictive value for susceptibility to CRC (OR = 2.01, p = 0.0001) for the mixed population from Kazakhstan and for both main ethnic groups (Kazakhs and Russians (OR = 2.36 and OR = 1.84, respectively)).