Brief Article
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 7, 2009; 15(45): 5716-5721
Published online Dec 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5716
Glutathione-S-transferase (GSTM1, GSTT1) and the risk of gastrointestinal cancer in a Korean population
Jin-Mei Piao, Min-Ho Shin, Sun-Seog Kweon, Hee Nam Kim, Jin-Su Choi, Woo-Kyun Bae, Hyun-Jeong Shim, Hyeong-Rok Kim, Young-Kyu Park, Yoo-Duk Choi, Soo-Hyun Kim
Jin-Mei Piao, Min-Ho Shin, Jin-Su Choi, Department of Preventive Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-746, South Korea
Sun-Seog Kweon, Jeonnam Regional Cancer Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanam-do 519-809, South Korea
Hee Nam Kim, Genome Research Center for Hematopoietic Diseases, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanam-do 519-809, South Korea
Woo-Kyun Bae, Hyun-Jeong Shim, Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanam-do 519-809, South Korea
Hyeong-Rok Kim, Young-Kyu Park, Department of Surgery, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Jeollanam-do 519-809, South Korea
Yoo-Duk Choi, Department of Pathology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-746, South Korea
Soo-Hyun Kim, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-746, South Korea
Author contributions: Piao JM designed the study, performed the majority of experiments, data analysis and interpretation and wrote the manuscript; Kim HN provided vital reagents and analytical tools and was also involved in editing the manuscript; Choi JS, Kweon SS and Kim SH provided the collection of all the DNA material and control sample; Bae WK, Shim HJ, Kim HR and Park YK collected clinical data; Choi YD collected clinicopathological data, Shin MH interpreted study findings, supervised the study and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Dr. Min-Ho Shin, Department of Preventive Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, 5, Hak1dong, Donggu, Gwangju City, 501-746, South Korea. mhshinx@paran.com
Telephone: +82-62-2204166   Fax: +82-62-2330305
Received: September 3, 2009
Revised: October 15, 2009
Accepted: October 22, 2009
Published online: December 7, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the association of glutathione S-transferase mu (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase theta (GSTT1) null genotypes with the risk of gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) in a South Korean population.

METHODS: We conducted a population-based, large-scale case-control study including 2213 GCs, 1829 CRCs, and 1699 controls. Null and non-null genotypes of GSTM1 and GSTT1 were determined using real-time PCR.

RESULTS: The null genotypes of GSTM1 and GSTT1 were not significantly associated with elevated risk of gastric (OR = 1.070, 95% CI = 0.935-1.224; OR = 1.101, 95% CI = 0.963-1.259, respectively) or colorectal cancer (OR = 1.065, 95% CI = 0.923-1.228; OR = 1.041, 95% CI = 0.903-1.200, respectively). The frequency of the combined null GST genotype was not different between the two cancer groups and controls. Moreover, smoking, drinking, and age did not modify the association between these genotypes and the risk of gastric or colorectal cancer.

CONCLUSION: GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes were not associated with increased risk of GC or CRC in Koreans.

Keywords: Glutathione S-transferase mu; Glutathione S-transferase theta; Gastric cancer; Colorectal cancer; South Korean population