Polymorphisms in Turkish population

Cancer Invest. 2006 Feb;24(1):41-5.

Silig Y, Pinarbasi H, Günes S, Ayan S, Bagci H, Cetinkaya O.

Cumhuriyet University, Science and Art Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, Sivas, Turkey. ysilig@cumhuriyet.edu.tr

Cancer Invest. 2006 Aug-Sep;24(5):497-501.

Gonlugur U, Pinarbasi H, Gonlugur TE, Silig Y.

Department of Chest Diseases, Cumhuriyet University Medical School, Sivas, Turkey. gonlugur@e-kolay.net

BACKGROUND: Polymorphisms in the glutathione S-transferase (GST) family may be associated with increased risk of lung cancer, somatic changes in lung tumour tissue, and survival. We evaluated survival according to GST polymorphism in lung cancer patients. METHODS: We studied DNA polymorphisms of 81 primary lung cancer patients at 2 glutathione-related loci: GSTM1, and GSTT1 that encode glutathione S-transferase-mu, and glutathione S-transferase- square. The presences of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes were assayed by PCR. Kaplan-Meier with log rank tests, and Cox regression models were applied in the analysis. RESULTS: The median age of 75 males and 6 females was 60 years. Median survival of the whole population was 8 months. In the first presentation, none of the patients with GSTT1 null genotype but 30 percent of the patients with GSTT1-positive genotype had liver metastasis (p < 0.01) but GSTT1 genotype was not associated with survival. Sputum (p < 0.01) was more common in patients with GSTM1 null genotype. Subjects with the GSTM1-null genotype had shorter survival. Using a Cox proportional hazard model, GSTM1, tumor (T) factor and thoracic irradiation status were identified as independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results showed that GSTM1-null genotype was associated with shorter survival.

Cancer Invest. 2006 Feb;24(1):41-5.

Silig Y, Pinarbasi H, Günes S, Ayan S, Bagci H, Cetinkaya O.

Cumhuriyet University, Science and Art Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, Sivas, Turkey. ysilig@cumhuriyet.edu.tr

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in many countries. Although the etiology of prostate cancer largely is unknown, both genetic and environmental factors may be involved. Advanced age, androgen metabolism, and heredity-race have been reported to be possible risk factors. On the other hand, several studies indicate that genetic polymorphisms in biotransformation enzymes play a role in prostate cancer development. In this study, association of the prostate cancer risk with genotype frequencies of the Phase I (CYP1A1) and Phase II (GSTM1 and GSTT1) biotransformation enzymes was investigated in 321 Turkish individuals (152 prostate cancer patients and 169 age-matched male controls). The presence or absences of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes were determined by a PCR-based method. Genotypes of CYP1A1 were determined by MspI-RFLP. The prevalence of GSTM1 null genotype in the cases was 64 percent, compared to 31 percent in the control group, indicating a strong association (OR = 4.08, 95%CI = 2.50-6.69). No association was observed between either GSTT1 null genotype or CYP1A1 polymorphism and prostate cancer incidence. No statistically significant association was observed between smoking status of the patients and any of the polymorphisms studied. In conclusion, results of this study indicate that only the GSTM1 null genotype may play an important role as a risk factor for prostate cancer development in Turkish population.