Glutathione S-Transferase Gene Polymorphisms (GSTM1 and GSTT1) in Vitiligo Patients

Background: Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentary disorder of the skin characterized by white areas on the skin and pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) are absent from vitiligo lesions. Oxidative stress is a major pathogenesis hypothesis of vitiligo. The glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are group of polymorphic enzymes that are important in protection against oxidative stress and chemical toxicity. Objectives: The aim of this work was to study the relation between glutathione S-transferase gene polymorphisms (GSTM1 and GSTT1) and pathogenesis of vitiligo. Subjects and Methods: This study included 40 patients with vitiligo and 10 healthy subjects served as controls, attending the Outpatient Clinic of Dermatology and Venereology Department of Tanta University Hospitals. Blood samples were collected from all patients for detection of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and blood samples were collected from control subjects for comparison. Results: In this study, there was non significant association with null type of both GSTM1& GSTT1 genotype and vitiligo susceptibility. There was significant association of vitiligo risk with GSTM1 null/ GSTT1 null type as well as GSTM1 present/GSTT1 null and GSTM1 null/ GSTT1 present when compared to the GSTT1 present/GSTM1 present. There was non significant association with GSTM1 null type of vitiligo in focal, segmental and generalized subtypes. There was significant association with GSTT1 null type of vitiligo in generalized subtypes but GSTT1 null type of vitiligo in focal and segmental types showed non significant association with vitiligo susceptibility. Non significant association was shown in GSTM1 null/ GSTT1 null type of vitiligo in focal and generalized types while it was significant in segmental type. Significant association with GSTM1 present/GSTT1 null type of vitiligo in focal and generalized types but non significant in segmental type. The GSTM1 null/ GSTT1 present types of vitiligo subtypes showed a significant association with focal and generalized types but non significant association in segmental type. Significant association with GSTM1 present/GSTT1 present type in segmental and generalized types but non significant in focal type. Conclusion: Collectively, the mechanistic study revealed new pieces in the vitiligo ''puzzle'', such as GST and 4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE)-protein which, together with the known one, namely hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), may well be included in the hypothetic redox-regulated mechanism of melanocyte loss, and might represent good candidates as therapeutic targets for this skin disease. [Fatma A. Abd Rabou, Hesham A.Elserogy, Shereen F. Gheida and Amal A. EL-Ashmawy Glutathione S-Transferase Gene Polymorphisms (GSTM1 and GSTT1) in Vitiligo Patients] Life Science Journal, 2011;8(4):785-792] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com.