The glutathione S-transferases: polymerase chain reaction studies on the frequency of the GSTM1 0 genotype in patients with pituitary adenomas

Abstract

The frequency of the GSTM1 0 polymorphism at the glutathione S-transferase M1 locus has been determined in controls and patients with pituitary adenomas by using the polymerase chain reaction to amplify genomic DNA in the exon 4–5 region of the gene. The frequency of the genotype in patients with prolactinomas, non-functional adenomas, corticotrophinomas and somatotrophinomas varied between 52–67% compared with 44% in the controls. In the patients with prolactinomas the frequency of the genotype (67%) was significantly greater than in controls with odds ratio analysis indicating that GSTM1 0 individuals have a 2.56-fold greater risk of developing this adenoma.