The GSTP1 gene is a susceptibility gene for childhood asthma and the GSTM1 gene is a modifier of the GSTP1 gene

Background: Bronchial asthma is a chronic airway disorder characterized by bronchial inflammation. Oxidative stress is a key component of inflammation. Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), the abundant isoform of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in lung epithelium, plays a key role in cellular protection against oxidative stress. Several studies have shown that the GSTP1 geneis involved in the pathogenesis of asthma and a gene-gene interaction may occur within the GST gene superfamily.

Methods: We screened single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the GSTP1 locus and performed an association study in the Japanese population using two independent case-control groups (group 1: 391 pediatric patients with asthma, 462 adult patients with asthma, and 639 controls, and group 2: 115 pediatric patients with asthma and 184 controls). The effect of GSTM1 null/present genotype on the association between GSTP1 Ile105Val and asthma was also investigated.

Results: We identified 20 SNPs at this locus and found this region consisted of one linkage disequilibrium block represented by four SNPs (tag SNPs). The association between the Ile105Val polymorphism in the GSTP1 gene and childhood asthma was significant in both groups (p = 0.047 in group 1, and p = 0.021 in group 2). This association was only significant in patients with GSTM1-positive genotype in both groups (group 1: GSTM1 present p = 0.013 and GSTM1 null p = 0.925, and group 2: GSTM1 present p = 0.015 and GSTM1 null p = 0.362).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that the GSTP1 gene is a childhood asthma susceptible gene, and the GSTM1 gene is a modifier gene of GSTP1 for the risk of childhood asthma in the Japanese population.