Analysis of the influence of glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1 and GSTT1) genes on the risk of essential hypertension

Abstract

Background

Essential hypertension (EH) results from a complex interaction between environmental factors and an individual’s genetic background.

Aim

To assess the relationship between polymorphisms in GSTM1 and GSTT1 and the risk of EH.

Subjects and methods

A multiplex-PCR was used to identify the genotypic profiles of GSTM1 and GSTT1 in 160 patients and 210 controls.

Results

The frequency of GSTM1-null genotype was higher in patients younger than 61 years when compared to those over 61 years. Interestingly, GSTT1-null was significantly associated with the risk of EH (OR 4; 95% CI 2.6–6.3; p < 0.0001). While GSTM1-null showed no trend (OR 0.7; 95% CI 0.5–1.1, p = 0.12). Individuals carrying the combined GSTT1-null/GSTM1-null were 2.4 times more at risk for hypertension compared to those harbouring the combined GSTT1-present/GSTM1-present genotype (OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.3–4.4; p = 0.005). Additionally, the presence of the combined GSTT1-null/GSTM1-present was associated with an increased risk of EH compared to GSTT1-present/GSTM1-present carriers (OR 6.75; 95% CI 3.4–13.2; p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

This study showed that the GSTT1-null alone or in interaction with GSTM1-present or GSTM1-null was associated with a higher risk of hypertension. Moreover, the GSTM1-null seems to be associated with the age of onset of hypertension.

Keywords:

• Glutathione S-transferase
• GSTM1
• GSTT1
• essential hypertension
• Morocco

Acknowledgements

We are thankful for the assistance of the team of Cellular and Molecular Pathology Laboratory. The authors thank the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology for having provided financial assistance to the study.

Author contributions

NS and KY designed and performed the research, analysed and interpreted the data, created the tables, and wrote the paper. ABOK, DH, KF, and RAE designed the research, participated in sample collection. MH, HR, and NS designed the research and critically revised the article. All authors approved the final version submitted for publication.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical approval

The study was carried out following the approval of the local Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, Hassan II University, and written consent was obtained from each participant.

Data availability statement

The original data sets supporting the results of this article are available. They are not public but are able to be accessed by request for result verification only.