EFFECTS OF ARSENIC EXPOSURE AND GENETIC POLYMORPHISMS OF P53, GLUTATHIONE S-TRANSFERASE M1, T1, AND P1 ON THE RISK OF CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN TAIWAN

To evaluate the joint effects between genetic polymorphisms
of glutathione S-transferase M1, T1, P1, and p53, and
arsenic exposure through drinking well water on the risk of
carotid atherosclerosis, 605 residents including 289 men and
316 women were recruited from a northeastern area of Taiwan
. Carotid atherosclerosis was diagnosed by either a carotid
artery intima-media thickness (IMT) of > 1.0 turn, a plaque
score of >= 1, or stenosis of > 50%. A significant age- and
gender-adjusted odds ratio of 3.3 for the development of
carotid atherosclerosis was observed among the high-arsenic
exposure group who drank well water containing arsenic at
levels > 50 mu g/L. The high-arsenic exposure group with
GSTP1 variant genotypes of Ile/Val and Val/Val, and with the
p53 variant genotypes of Arg/Pro and Pro/Pro had 6.0- and 3
.1-fold higher risks of carotid atherosclerosis,
respectively. In addition, the high-arsenic exposure group
with one or two variant genotypes of GSTP1 and p53 had 2.8-
and 6.1-fold higher risks of carotid atherosclerosis,
respectively, and showed a dose-dependent relationship. A
multivariate-adjusted odds ratio of 3.4 for the risk of
carotid atherosclerosis among study subjects with the two
variant genotypes of GSTP1 and p53 was also found. Our study
showed the joint effects on the risk of carotid
atherosclerosis between the genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1
and p53, and arsenic exposure. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd
. All rights reserved.