Genetic polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 in Delhi population of Northern India

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), protect cells from reactive chemical intermediates and oxidative stress. Among different classes of GSTs, GSTM1 (Mu) and GSTT1 (theta) are found to be genetically deleted. Present study was intended to genotype homozygous null distribution of GSTM1 and GSTT1 in healthy individuals of Delhi, located in Northern India. Out of 309 healthy individuals included in this study, we have found genetic deletion in 21% and 27.4%, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes, respectively. A small proportion (0.7%) population showed deletion of both the genes. The prevalence of the GSTM1*0/0 and GSTT1*0/0 genotypes varied within India compared to communities in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Caucasian.