GSTO AND AS3MT GENE POLYMORPHISMS AND DIFFERENCES IN URINARY ARSENIC CONCENTRATIONS AMONG RESIDENTS IN BANGLADESH

Background and Aims: The main objective of this paper is to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the glutathione S-transferase omega (GSTO) and arsenic(III)methyltransferase (AS3MT) genes are associated with the concentrations of urinary arsenic among individuals without arsenic-induced skin lesions. Methods: A case-control study (N=900 cases; 900 controls) was conducted in rural Bangladesh to investigate the environmental and genetic risk factors associated with skin lesions. This analysis was limited to the controls in order to eliminate any possible confounding by disease status. Water and urine samples were collected and analyzed for arsenic concentrations using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and the following SNPs were detected in DNA extracted from whole blood: GSTO1 rs4925, GSTO2 rs156697, GSTO2 rs2297235, and AS3MT rs11191439. The arsenic species measured in urine included arsenite (AsV), arsenate (AsIII), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), and dimethylars...