GSTT1 polymorphism and oral leukoplakia.
BACKGROUND
Considering that tobacco is the main etiological factor in oral cancer and that oral leukoplakia is the most prevalent potentially malignant lesion, together with the fact that GSTT1 polymorphism increases the risk of oral squamous cell carcinoma, the purpose of this study was to investigate the GSTT1 null polymorphism and the risk of oral leukoplakia in individuals with tobacco smoking habits in a Brazilian population.


METHODS
The GSTT1 genotypes of 72 tobacco smoking patients with oral leukoplakia and 72 tobacco smoking healthy subjects were studied by PCR-based methods.


RESULTS
The frequency of the GSTT1 null genotype in the group with oral leukoplakia (48.6%) was statistically different from the controls (27.8%). After stratification, the frequencies of the null genotype in female patients, lesions with absent/mild grade of dysplasia and from low-risk sites were statistically different from the control.


CONCLUSIONS
The GSTT1 null genotype may increase the risk of developing oral leukoplakia.
Department of Oral Pathology and Surgery, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Eliza Carla
EC
Barroso Duarte
Marina Sena Lopes
MS
Da Silva
Marcus Vinicius
MV
Gomez
Ricardo Santiago
RS
Gomez
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012907:Smoking / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
C413545:glutathione S-transferase T1; D005982:Glutathione Transferase