Association of GSTM1&HMOX-1 Gene Polymorphisms in COPD: A study from South Indian Population

The major risk factor for COPD is smoking. The pathology involves the imbalance of oxidant/antioxidant mechanism. As smoking enhances, the Oxidative stress increases thereby decreasing the antioxidants capacity in airways causing damage to normal lung function. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of (Glutathione GSTM1& T1) and HMOX-1 gene polymorphism in COPD and control subjects from Telangana state of India. GSTM1 and T1 gene polymorphism was evaluated by Multiplex polymerase chain reaction and HMOX-1 by ARMS-PCR in 250 COPD with equal number of control subjects. Appropriate statistics using students t test, Fischer exact test, chi-square with Hardy Weinberg equllibrium were applied for the analysis. There was a significant association of GSTM1 null genotype with the disease (2= 18.82; p=0.0001; OR=2.21; CI=1.543-3.18). Significant association was also found between the GC genotypes of HMOX-1 gene in COPD patients (2= 3.73; p=0.05; OR=1.52; (CI=0.9927-2.352) compared with controls. However further studies from other populations are needed to confirm this results.