title: Oxidative stress and glutathione S-transferase genetic polymorphisms in medical staff professionally exposed to ionizing radiation.
abstract: Ionizing radiation (IR) is considered as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in medicine. However, chronic occupational exposure of medical staff to IR may affect the antioxidant status and, as a result, DNA damage and cancers as well. The objective of our study was to evaluate the oxidative stress profile caused by IR in 29 Tunisian medical staff from radiology and radiotherapy departments, and to find an association between the GSTM1 null, GSTT1 null, and GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphisms and oxidative stress biomarkers.
  
  
  
  The oxidant biomarkers malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP) and the activities of the antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) enzymes were spectrophotometrically determined in erythrocytes hemolysates. The analysis of GSTT1 null, GSTM1 null, and GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphisms was determined for each participant using PCR methods.
  
  
  
  A significant increase of white blood cell (WBC) numbers (p < .05) and a significant decrease by 11% of hemoglobin (Hb) (p < .01) were noted in the exposed subjects in our study. Moreover, we report a significant increase of MDA level and the activities of SOD and CAT enzymes of the IR-exposed group compared to controls (p < .001). Interestingly, a close association was noted between the genotypes GSTP1 low active, GSTT1 null, GSTM1 null, and both GSTT1/GSTM1 null and oxidative stress biomarkers, especially with MDA level, SOD, and CAT activities.
  
  
  
  Our findings indicate that the medical staff exposed to low IR levels were under risk of significant oxidative stress that was enhanced by their glutathione S-transferase (GST) polymorphisms.
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine , University of Sfax , Sfax , Tunisia.|b Department of Medical Genetics , Hedi Chaker Hospital , Sfax , Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hajer
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doukali
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine , University of Sfax , Sfax , Tunisia.|c Unaizah College of Pharmacy , Qassim University , Alqassim , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ghada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ben Salah
authors.affiliation: d Histology, Embryology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine , University of Sfax , Sfax , Tunisia.
authors.forename: Latifa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hamdaoui
authors.affiliation: d Histology, Embryology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine , University of Sfax , Sfax , Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mounira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hajjaji
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine , University of Sfax , Sfax , Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabebi
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine , University of Sfax , Sfax , Tunisia.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ammar-Keskes
authors.affiliation: e Department of Occupational Medicine , Hedi Chaker Hospital , Sfax , Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed-Elarbi
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Masmoudi
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine , University of Sfax , Sfax , Tunisia.|b Department of Medical Genetics , Hedi Chaker Hospital , Sfax , Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamoun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008503:Medical Staff; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000097:blood*; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D005982:Glutathione Transferase
keywords: Ionizing radiation; erythrocytes; glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes; occupational exposure; oxidative stress