Principles: Associations between polymorphisms for genes encoding enzymes involved in biotransformation of xenobiotics and susceptibility to several cancers have been shown in several studies. The aim of the present study is to investigate the influence of cytochromes P450 (CYP450) 1A1*2C and Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) (T1 and M1) gene polymorphisms in susceptibility to chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).
Methods: The frequency of CYP1A1 Ile/Val alleles and of GSTT1 and GSTM1 homozygous deletions was examined in 107 patients with CML and 132 healthy controls by PCR and/or PCRRFLP methods using blood samples.
Results: The frequency of CYP1A1 Val allele was found to be 19.2% in CML patients and 4.4% for controls, indicating that persons carrying this allele had an increased risk of CML (OR = 5.10, 95% CI: 2.60-9.97). The frequency of individuals carrying the GSTT1 null genotype was higher among CML patients (40.2%) compared to controls (19.2%) (OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.58-5.05; p <0.001). Therefore, GSTT1 present genotype may be a protective factor for CML. Although GSTM1 null genotype frequency was slightly higher in the patient group (44.9%) than in the controls (42.3%), this difference was not statistically significant (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.66-1.86; p = 0.693). Individuals with GSTM1 null genotypes without the T allele have a 5.981 higher risk for CML than those who have the T allele.
Conclusions: This data suggests that polymorphic CYP1A1 and GSTT1 genes appear to affect susceptibility to CML.