Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter to the Editor
  • Published:

Low frequency of the glutathione-S-transferase T1-null genotype in patients with primary myelodysplastic syndrome and 5q deletion

Leukemia volume 22, pages 1643–1646 (2008)Cite this article

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) comprise a heterogeneous group of acquired clonal hematopoietic stem-cell disorders, characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and a variable risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. The etiology of MDS is unknown in the majority of cases; however, models for development of sporadic MDS suggest the role of cumulative genetic and toxic environmental factors in genetically predisposed individuals.1

Human glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) are a multigene family of phase-II cytosolic enzymes that mediate conjugation of electrophilic compounds to glutathione. They play an important role in detoxification of numerous environmental carcinogens. The genes coding for the isoforms glutathione-S-transferase-theta-1 (GSTT1) and -mu-1, (GSTM1) exhibit an inherited homozygous deletion polymorphism (null genotype), resulting in total lack of enzymatic activity.2 The frequency of homozygous deletion genotypes of GSTT1 and GSTM1 varies by ethnicity, being 15–30% and 35–60% respectively, among Caucasians.3 Several studies investigating the association and potential causative role of GSTs polymorphisms in MDS have come to conflicting conclusions, possibly due to the heterogeneity of these diseases, ethnic variations and/or methodological approaches.4

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. West RR, Stanfford DA, Farrow A, Jacobs A . Occupational and environmental exposures and myelodysplasia: a case–control study. Leuk Res 1995; 19: 127–131.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Pemble S, Schroeder KR, Spencer SR, Meyer DJ, Hallier E, Bolt HM et al. Human glutathione S-transferase theta (GSTT1): cDNA cloning and the characterization of a genetic polymorphism. Biochem J 1994; 300: 271–273.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Garte S, Gaspari L, Alexandrie AK, Ambrosone C, Autrup H, Autrup JL et al. Metabolic gene polymorphism frequencies in control populations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2001; 10: 1239–1248.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bolufer P, Barragan E, Collado M, Cervera J, Lopez JA, Sanz MA . Influence of genetic polymorphisms on the risk of developing leukemia and on disease progression. Leuk Res 2006; 30: 1471–1491.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Greenberg P, Cox C, LeBeau MM, Fenaux P, Morel P, Sanz G et al. International Scoring System for evaluating prognosis in myelodysplastic syndromes. Blood 1997; 89: 2079–2088.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chen H, Sandler DP, Taylor JA, Shore DL, Liu E, Bloomfield CD et al. Increased risk for myelodysplastic syndromes in individuals with glutathione transferase theta 1 (GSTT1) gene defect. Lancet 1996; 347: 295–297.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Preudhomme C, Nisse C, Hebbar M, Vanrumbeke M, Brizard A, Lai JL et al. Glutathione S transferase theta 1 gene defects in myelodysplastic syndromes and their correlation with karyotype and exposure to potential carcinogens. Leukemia 1997; 11: 1580–1582.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ye Z, Song H . Glutathione S-transferase polymorphisms (GSTM1, GSTP1 and GSTT1) and the risk of acute leukaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Cancer 2005; 41: 980–989.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Herry A, Douet-Guilbert N, Morel F, Le Bris MJ, De Braekeleer M . Redefining monosomy 5 by molecular cytogenetics in 23 patients with MDS/AML. Eur J Haematol 2007; 78: 457–467.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Fagioli F, Cuneo A, Piva N, Carli MG, Previati R, Balboni M et al. Distinct cytogenetic and clinicopathologic features in acute myeloid leukemia after occupational exposure to pesticides and organic solvents. Cancer 1992; 70: 77–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was partially funded by the Hellenic Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (EL.IN.Y.A.E), Athens, Greece, and supported by the European Union (6th Framework Programme; LSH-2002-2.0-3, European LeukemiaNet, Work Package 11). We are grateful to Professor Cristina Mecucci for valuable suggestions and Professor Vassiliki A Boussiotis for critically reading the paper.

Author information

Author notes

  1. C Stavropoulou, C Sambani, H Rigana, V N Georgakakos, G Voutsinas, K N Manola, G E Pantelias and V Makropoulos: The names and affiliations of the members of the Hellenic MDS Study Group appear in the ‘Appendix’.

  2. C Stavropoulou and C Sambani: These authors equally contributed to this work

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Health Physics and Environmental Health, NCSR ‘Demokritos’, Athens, Greece

    C Stavropoulou, C Sambani, H Rigana, V N Georgakakos, K N Manola & G E Pantelias

  2. Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis and Carcinogenesis, NCSR ‘Demokritos’, Athens, Greece

    G Voutsinas

  3. Department of Occupational and Industrial Hygiene, National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece. E-mail: csambani@ipta.demokritos.gr,

    V Makropoulos

Authors
  1. C Stavropoulou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C Sambani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H Rigana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. V N Georgakakos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. G Voutsinas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. K N Manola
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. G E Pantelias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. V Makropoulos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Consortia

the Hellenic MDS Study Group

Appendix

Appendix

The names of the members of the Hellenic MDS Study Group are listed in the order of number of cases that each one provided: A Symeonidis, A Kouraklis, NC Zoumbos, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Medical School and University Hospital, University of Patras, Rion; N Viniou, E Plata, First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Athens, ‘Laiko’ General Hospital; AG Galanopoulos, T Marinakis, NI Anagnostopoulos, Department of Clinical Hematology, ‘G Gennimatas’ Hospital, Athens; P Roussou, A Fragou, Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Athens, ‘Sotiria’ General Hospital, Athens; A Parcharidou, Department of Hematology/Oncology, ‘Aghia Sophia’ Children's Hospital, Athens; V Pappa, Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Athens, ‘Attikon’ University General Hospital, Athens; A Lazaridou, Hematology Clinic, ‘Theagenion’ Cancer Hospital, Thessaloniki; C Mitsouli, C Megalakaki, Hematology Clinic, ‘Metaxa’ General Anticancer Hospital, Piraeus; M Bakiri, Department of Hematology and Lymphomas, ‘Evangelismos’ General Hospital, Athens; M Papaioannou, First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Univercity Hospital, Thessaloniki; N Laoutaris, Department of Hematology, Nikea General Hospital, Piraeus; HA Papadaki, Department of Hematology, University of Crete, Heraklion; G Bourikas, Department of Hematology, Democritus University Of Thrace Medical School, Alexandroupolis; M Protopappa, Hematology Laboratory, General Hospital of Serres, Serres; D Georgiadou, Department of Clinical Hematology, ‘Sismanoglio’ General Hospital, Athens; P Zikos, Department of Hematology, St Andreas Hospital, Patras, all in Greece.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stavropoulou, C., Sambani, C., Rigana, H. et al. Low frequency of the glutathione-S-transferase T1-null genotype in patients with primary myelodysplastic syndrome and 5q deletion. Leukemia 22, 1643–1646 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/leu.2008.35

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/leu.2008.35

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links