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. 2025 Apr 21:19:11795549251330712.
doi: 10.1177/11795549251330712. eCollection 2025.

Significance of GSTM1 and GSTT1 Gene Deletions in Glioma Patients in Polish Population: Pilot Study

Jovana Todosijević Jovanović  1 , Vladimir Gašić  2 , Ivana Grubiša  2 , Branka Zukić  2 , Ludmila Grzybowska-Szatkowska  3 , Sonja Pavlović  2 , Vladimir Jurisic  4
Affiliations

Significance of GSTM1 and GSTT1 Gene Deletions in Glioma Patients in Polish Population: Pilot Study

Jovana Todosijević Jovanović et al. Clin Med Insights Oncol. .

Abstract

Background: Detoxification enzymes of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) family are cytosolic phase II detoxification enzymes and play an important role in the normal functioning of the human antioxidant system. When the normal function of GST is disturbed or absent, there can be disturbances in cell metabolism, proliferation, and apoptosis. Deletions in the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes have been observed in several different diseases as well as in the development of cancer. There is a need to analyze the relationship between glioma and GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene deletion to better understand the relationship between brain tumors and GST polymorphisms, which is crucial for adopting a multidisciplinary approach to prognosis and treatment of brain tumors.

Methods: In a cross-sectional clinical-laboratory study, gene deletions were examined in 34 patients with brain tumors originating from glial cells-gliomas and 88 healthy individuals. All participants were of Polish nationality and were not related.

Results: An increase in GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene deletions was observed in glioma patients compared with the control group. The greatest increase showing a marked rise of 10 times (11.8% vs 1.14%, P < .05) is in the null genotype of both genes (GSTM1-/GSTT1) [odds ratio [OR] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.09-0.802] but less in the genotype with deletion of 1 GST gene (GSTM1-/GSTT1+ and GSTM1+/GSTT1-). In addition, the findings indicated a decrease in the non-deletion genotype of both genes (GSTM1+/GSTT1+) in healthy individuals. This study showed a higher frequency of GST gene deletion in glioma patients in the studied population.

Conclusions: Based on the obtained findings, it can be said that the examination of the selected detoxification enzymes can be a useful marker in the diagnosis of glioblastoma.

Keywords: GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene; Poland; brain tumor; genetic polymorphisms; glioma; glutathione S-transferase.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
A representative image of multiplex PCR analysis of GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene polymorphisms. The presence of a 268 bp (base pair) band indicated the presence of the β-globin gene and represented an internal positive control. (A) The absence of 151 and 70 bp bands indicates a homozygous deletion of the GSTM1 gene (GSTM1 null genotype) and the GSTT1 gene (GSTT1 null genotype). (B) The absence of 70 bp band indicates a homozygous deletion of the GSTM1 gene (GSTM1 null genotype). (C) The absence of 151 bp band indicates a homozygous deletion of the GSTT1 gene (GSTT1 null genotype). (D) The presence of 70 and 151 bp bands representing both gene GSTM1 and the GSTT1 genes.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Combined GSTM1/GSTT1 genotype in glioma patients and healthy controls. “GSTM1−/GSTT1+”—deletion of GSTM1 gene, no deletion in the gene GSTT1; “GSTT1−/GSTM1+”—deletion of GSTT1 gene, no deletion in the gene GSTM1; “GSTT1−/GSTM1−”—deletion of GSTT1 and GSTM1 genes; “GSTT1+/GSTM1+”—no deletion in the genes GSTM1 and GSTT1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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