title: Phenol sulphotransferase SULT1A1 polymorphism: molecular diagnosis and allele frequencies in Caucasian and African populations.
abstract: Sulphation, catalysed by members of the sulphotransferase (SULT) enzyme family, is an important component of the body's chemical defence mechanism, but also acts to bioactivate mutagens such as hydroxylated aryl and heterocyclic amines. A major human sulphotransferase, SULT1A1 (P-PST), metabolizes and/or bioactivates many drugs, iodothyronines and hydroxylated aromatic amines. The enzyme activity varies widely within the population and is under genetic control. We have developed an assay detecting a G-->A transition in SULT1A1 that causes an Arg213-->His substitution associated with low SULT activity and altered enzyme properties, and have used it to assess the SULT1A1 genotype in Caucasian (n=293) and African (Nigerian, n=52) populations. We show that the mutant SULT1A1*2 allele is present at frequencies of 0.321 and 0.269 in the Caucasian and African populations respectively. We also demonstrate a significant age-related difference in SULT1A1 genotype within our Caucasian population, with increasing incidence of SULT1A1*1 homozygosity and decreasing incidence of SULT1A1*2 homozygosity with increasing age, indicating a potential association of SULT1A1*1 allozyme(s) with protection against cell and/or tissue damage during aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, U. K. m.w.h.coughtrie@dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Coughtrie
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gilissen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shek
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Strange
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fryer
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bamber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics; D000483:Alleles; D015239:Arylsulfotransferase; D001483:Base Sequence; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D017931:DNA Primers; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015238:Sulfotransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D015238:Sulfotransferases; D015239:Arylsulfotransferase; C117544:SULT1A1 protein, human