Polymorphisms and Protein Expressions of Glutathione S-Transferase M1 and T1 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVES

The deletion polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and genes result in the absence of the corresponding protein, which decreases the detoxification of carcinogens. Studies evaluating polymorphisms and protein expressions in the same patients are limited. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the association between polymorphisms and protein expressions of and in lung tissues of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For protein expression and gene deletion studies, tumor and surrounding tumor free (normal) tissue of 33 patients with NSCLC were used. In paraffin-embedded tissues, immunohistochemistry was used to detect protein expressions, and multiplex polymerase chain reaction amplification was used to identify gene deletions.

RESULTS

and protein expressions were not detected in patients with and gene deletions, whereas protein expressions were detected in lung tissues of all patients carrying and genes. The protein expression level of was 2.0-fold higher in tumors of patients lacking genes than those with genes (p=0.018). Protein expression of was statistically higher in tumor tissues than in normal tissues of patients with genes (p=0.001).

CONCLUSION

These results show that a) there is an association between gene deletions and protein expressions of and in patients with NSCLC, b) in the absence of genes, enhancement of expression of in tumors is likely to show that increases its capacity to detoxify the toxic electrophiles in tumors, and c) protein expression is higher in tumors compared with normal lung tissues of patients with NSCLC.