title: [Effects of exposure to asbestos on plasma activity of glutathione S-transferases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the effects of exposure to asbestos and GSTM1 genotypes on plasma activity of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-four workers exposed to asbestos and 51 controls were selected, and their general information, occupational history and personal behavior were collected by questionnaire. Venous blood specimen was collected from each of them and plasma was separated for detection of GSTs activity and lymphocytes for DNA extraction and GSTM1 genotyping.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma activity of GSTs in the asbestos-exposed workers (23.0 +/- 6.9) U/L was significantly lower than that in the controls (32.6 +/- 11.8) U/L, which declined with the length of employment in asbestos industry and the increase of cumulated dose of asbestos. Stratification of workers by GSTM1 genotypes showed that plasma activity of GSTs in asbestos-exposed workers with GSTM1+/+ or GSTM1-/- were (24.0 +/- 6.1) and (22.5 +/- 7.3) U/L, respectively, lower than those in the controls with the same genotypes (38.1 +/- 13.2) and (26.8 +/- 6.6) U/L. Plasma activity of GSTs in the control workers with GSTM-/- was significantly lower than in those with GSTM+/+, and, so did in asbestos-exposed workers, but without statistically significant difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to asbestos could significantly decrease plasma activity of GSTs, and GSTM1 genotypes could affect on the activity of GSTs in the control workers, which was not so obvious in asbestos-exposed workers.
authors.affiliation: Ocupational Disease Department, Qingdao Municipal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong 266033, China.
authors.forename: Yanling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Qi'en
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Guochun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shijie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001194:Asbestos; D005982:Glutathione Transferase