Genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1, and evaluation of oxidative stress in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Background: Our objective is to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of the glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 genes (GSTM1 and GSTT1) and evaluate oxidative damage in patients with non-small lung cancer (N-SCLC). Methods: One hundred and ten patients with N-SCLC and 100 controls are included in this case-control study. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were used to identify the genotypes. The activities of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were detected by spectroscopic analysis. Results: The frequencies of the GSTM1, T1, and GSTM1/T1 null genotypes in the patient group were significantly higher than that in the control group (OR = 2.071, P = 0.009; OR = 1.900, P = 0.024; OR = 3.258, P = 0.003). The activities of MDA and NO were significantly higher in the patient group than that in the control group (P <0.001), and T-AOC was significantly lower in patient group than that in control group (P <0.001). The activities of MDA, and NO were higher but the T-AOC was lower in patients with the GSTM1, T1 and M1/T1 null genotypes than those in patients with GSTM1, T1 and M1/T1 present genotypes (P <0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that oxidative damage may be play a important role in patients with N-SCLC, and that GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes may predispose the cells of patients with N-SCLC to increased oxidative damage.