Association of polymorphic variants of the GSTP1 and GSTM1 genes with signs of tunnel syndromes in patients with vibration disease (pilot study)

Introduction. The data on the association between GSTs gene variants and the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) determine the feasibility of studying the relationship with changes in the nerve structure of the upper limbs identified by ultrasound examination in patients with vibration disease (VD).

The aim of the study was to investigate the association of polymorphic variants of the GSTP1 and GSTM1 genes with signs of tunnel syndromes in VD patients.

Materials and methods. Polymorphic variants of the GSTP1 (rs1695 and rs1138272) and GSTM1 genes in one hundred forty male VD patients were studied using PCR-RT method. High-resolution ultrasonography parameters were used to evaluate the morphological structure of the peripheral nerves of the upper limbs in patients, including the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the peripheral nerves.

Results. A significant gain in CSA maximum of the median nerve was found in carriers of the GSTM1–/– genotype relative to those in the GSTM1+ polymorphic variant of the GSTM1 gene (p=0.014). At the same time, AG-GSTP1 (Ile105Val) heterozygote carriers were less resistant to vibration exposure compared to the AA homozygote ones. The AG carriers had a shorter period of vibration exposure (p=0.017), which was observed against the background of a pronounced tendency to a decrease in the period of vibration exposure at the time of VD diagnosis (p=0.034).

Limitations. Limitations include the small number of examined patients and the analysis of associations of polymorphic variants of GSTs genes only with CSA values without taking into account the clinical and functional status of patients.

Conclusion. The results obtained indicate that GSTs genes involved in protection against oxidative stress, may be associated with the development of CTS in VD patients. Further investigations are needed involving a larger number of VD patients with simultaneous analysis of the morphological structure of peripheral nerves, as well as of electrophysiological and clinical studies.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the Biomedical Ethics Committee of the East Siberian Institute of Medical and Ecological Research (Protocol No. 5 of 21.03.2023). The voluntary informed consent was signed by all study participants.

Contribution:
Chernyak Yu.I. — concept and study design, sample collection, implementation of methods and data analysis, final statistical data analysis, text writing and editing;
Zueva Ya.I. — implementation of methods and data analysis, text writing and editing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Acknowledgment. The study was supported within a framework of State Assignment for East Siberian Institute of Medical and Ecological Research (No. 123032000007-8). The authors are grateful to project leader, Prof. Oleg L. Lakhman for useful comments in the process of the manuscript discussion.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Received: May 3, 2024 / Revised: September 12, 2024 / Accepted: September 19, 2024 / Published: October 16, 2024