Features of GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 Genetic Polymorphism in Nizhny Tagil Metallurgical Plant Workers with Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

Background: The development of cardiovascular diseases is determined not only by working conditions but also by genetic characteristics of employees. Genetic GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 variations contribute to individual differences in responses to industrial chemicals and carcinogens. Objective: To study the features of the genetic polymorphism of the GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 genes in metallurgical plant workers with diseases of the cardiovascular system in the town of Nizhny Tagil, Sverdlovsk Region, Russian Federation. Materials and methods: The case cohort included 61 men aged 33 to 61 years (mean: 48.15 ± 7.50 years), working in the converter shop and suffering from heart diseases. The control cohort consisted of 29 conditionally healthy male employees, aged 23–56, of the same iron and steel works having no signs of a cardiovascular disease. The DNA was isolated from peripheral blood using a standard technique. Deletion polymorphism of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes was determined by quantitative PCR; Ile105Val polymorphism of the GSTP1 gene was established by qPCR using a commercial test kit. Results: We observed no statistically significant differences between the cohorts for any of the studied genes. The frequency of occurrence of the combination of GSTM1 (0/0) and GSTT1 (0/0) in the cases and controls was 14 % and 11 %, respectively, but the difference was negligible. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that the presence of null genotypes of GSTM1, GSTT1, as well as the mutant GSTP1 allele and the associated loss of enzyme activity contribute little to the development of cardiovascular diseases in workers exposed to occupational hazards.