Genetic determinants of predisposition to bronchial asthma

The ratio between the normal (+) and null (0) alleles of the genes encoding glutatione S-transferases M1 (GSTM1) and T1 (GSTT1) were studied in normal individuals from northwestern Russia (control group) and in patients with bronchial asthma (BA). The frequency of the GSTM1 0/0 genotype in the popul ation sample was statistically significantly lower (37.8%) than in the BA p atients (82.1%; chi (2) = 16.8; P < 0.001; (w)<chi>(2) 2 = 15.7; alpha = 0. 01). For the GSTT1 gene, similar data were obtained. The frequency of the G STT1 0/0 genotype in healthy donors was statistically significantly higher (16.3%) than in the BA patients (73.7%; chi (2) = 28.5; P<0.001; (w)<chi>(2 ) = 23.22; alpha = 0.01). A significant preponderance of the compound homoz ygotes for the GSTM1 and GSM null alleles among the BA patients was observe d. The frequency of the GSTM1 0/0, GSTT1 0/0 individuals among the patients was 57.9%, while it was only 4.7% among the controls (chi (2) = 27.4; P < 0.001).