Association of the glutathione S-transferase omega-1 Ala140Asp polymorphism with cerebrovascular atherosclerosis and plaque-associated interleukin-1 alpha expression.
OBJECTIVE
Glutathione S-transferase omega-1 is a multifunctional enzyme. The Asp/Asp genotype of the Ala140Asp polymorphism of the GSTO1 gene has been alleged to increase the risk of vascular dementia. The objective of this study is to address the question of whether common vessel disorders known to cause vascular dementia are modified in their severity by this polymorphism.


METHODS
The severity and expansion of atherosclerosis in the circle of Willis vessels, cerebral small vessel disease, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy were studied in a sample of 79 autopsy cases. Genotyping of the GSTO1 Ala140Asp polymorphism as well as immunohistochemistry for glutathione S-transferase omega-1 was performed.


RESULTS
Carriers of the GSTO1 Asp/Asp genotype presented with more severe and widespread atherosclerosis than noncarriers. However, there was no effect on small vessel disease expansion and cerebral amyloid angiopathy severity. Immunohistochemically, we detected interleukin-1 alpha expressing macrophages in the lipid core of atherosclerosis plaques exhibiting glutathione S-transferase omega-1-positive material. GSTO1 Asp/Asp carriers showed larger areas of atherosclerosis plaques containing interleukin-1 alpha-positive material than carriers of the GSTO1 Ala-allele.


CONCLUSIONS
The GSTO1 Asp/Asp genotype presumably modulates the severity and expansion of atherosclerosis in the circle of Willis. The cellular colocalization of glutathione S-transferase omega-1 and interleukin-1 alpha suggests a functional interaction between both proteins which in part might explain the function of glutathione S-transferase omega-1 in the pathogenesis of cerebral atherosclerosis.
Kölsch
Heike
H
Larionov
Sergey
S
Dedeck
Oliver
O
Orantes
Mario
M
Birkenmeier
Gerd
G
Griffin
W Sue T
WS
Thal
Dietmar Rudolf
DR
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002941:Circle of Willis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005838:Genotype; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D053582:Interleukin-1alpha; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; C490476:GSTO1 protein, human; D005982:Glutathione Transferase