The GSTM1, GSTT1 Genes Polymorphisms and Asthma Bronchiale in Turkish Children

OBJECTIVES: Asthma bronchiale is, considering its clinical characteristics and pathophysiology, a very heterogenic and complicated but also a very common disease. Clinical variability, individual susceptibility and polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1 and GSTT1 genes seemed to be related according to some previous studies. So in our study GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes polymorphisms -genes playing part in the etiology of asthma bronchiale and also in several environmental factors metabolism- are evaluated in Turkish children. METHODS: This case-control study encompassed 105 children with asthma bronchiale and randomly selected 30 healthy children in control group. DNA samples extracted from the whole blood were amplified using PCR method. RESULTS: The prevalence of GSTM1 null genotype and GSTT1 null genotype in the patients were 47.6% and 28.6%, compared to 56.7% and 20% in the control group, respectively. No statistical significance related with GSTM1 null genotype and GSTT1 null genotype was found between the asthma bronchiale and control group (p>0.05). Patients classified regarding there clinical conditions, were compared to each other for the prevalence of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes polymorphisms. Statistical significance related with GSTM1 null genotype was found between the mild-severe persistent patient group and slightly persistent patient group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We observed that carrying the GSTM1 null genotype and GSTT1 null genotype are not a risk factor for the susceptibility to asthma bronchiale. Therefore according to the clinical characteristics, we assumed that GSTM1 null genotype might be a risk factor for those suffering of asthma bronchiale.