Glutathione S-Transferase M1 and T1 Gene Polymorphisms and Risk of Hypertension in Tea Garden Workers of North-East India

Aims: Polymorphisms of genes encoding phase II metabolic enzymes, for example, glutathione S-transferase, have been linked with hypertension. The present study aimed at finding out the association between GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphism and hypertension in a population from North-East India. Materials and Methods: We carried out a case-control study in tea garden workers of Assam. A total of 223 hypertensive cases and 236 normotensive control subjects were recruited with a record of socio-demographic information, blood pressure, and anthropometric data. Fasting venous blood samples from all subjects were obtained and subjected to DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction to detect polymorphism of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes. Results: The null genotype was prevalent in 38.1% and 28.1% of the study participants (cases and controls) for GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes, respectively. Hypertensive subjects had a significantly higher prevalence of the GSTM1 null genotype (43% vs. 33.5%, than normotensive control subjects, p = 0.035). Association between the GSTM1 null genotype and hypertension was significant in younger subjects. Tobacco users with the GSTT1 null genotype were at an increased risk for hypertension. Conclusion: The knowledge of GSTM1 and GSTT1 variant status will be useful to predict the risk of hypertension in a population.