Abstracto

Glutathione-S-transferase M1 (GSTM1), P1 (GSTP1), and T1 (GSTT1) gene polymorphisms in children having got obstructive lung disorders when residing at Cs137 contaminated territories of Ukraine

V Yu Vdovenko, Ye I Stepanova, I Ye Kolpakov, V M Zigalo and V H Kondrashova

Ionizing radiation and a complex of other negative factors of the Chornobyl disaster have a significant impact on the functional state of the respiratory system, causing a high incidence of bronchial hyper-reactivity in children living under chronic intake of radionuclides with a long half-life, which is a risk factor for the formation of chronic bronchopulmonary pathology. Current studies are focused on studying the molecular and genetic bases of hereditary predisposition and are to define the role of certain genes and enzymes encoded by them in the pathogenesis of broncho obstructive diseases. The reaction of each individual organism to the environment influence depends on the genetically determined features of functional enzyme systems in the phase I and II of xenobiotic detoxification. Thus, glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) are a large group of enzymes that are directly involved in the second phase of biotransformation, characterized by broad substrate specificity and the ability to metabolize many substances. A wide isomorphic spectrum of GSTs which is determined by the polymorphism of the genes encoding them has been established. Differences in the structure of isoenzymes lead to different ability to metabolize xenobiotics and oxidative stress products. This causes a different degree of susceptibility of each individual to the occurrence of multifactorial diseases, including respiratory pathology.