Effects of arsenic exposure and genetic polymorphisms of p53, glutathione S-transferase M1, T1, and P1 on the risk of carotid atherosclerosis in Taiwan

Wang, Yuan-Hung; Wu, Meei-Maan; Hong, Chi-Tzong; Lien, Li-Ming; Hsieh, Yi-Chen; Tseng, Hung-Pin; Chang, Shu-Feng; Su, Che-Long; Chiou, Hung-Yi; Chen, Chien-Jen

doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2006.07.029

« Previous Next »Atherosclerosis
Volume 192, Issue 2 , Pages 305-312, June 2007

Effects of arsenic exposure and genetic polymorphisms of p53, glutathione S-transferase M1, T1, and P1 on the risk of carotid atherosclerosis in Taiwan

Yuan-Hung Wang
- School of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan
Meei-Maan Wu
- School of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan
Chi-Tzong Hong
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Medical University-Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan
Li-Ming Lien
- Department of Neurology, Shin-Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei 111, Taiwan
Yi-Chen Hsieh
- School of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan
Hung-Pin Tseng
- Department of Neurology, Lo-Hsu Foundation, Lotung Poh-Ai Hospital, I-Lan 265, Taiwan
Shu-Feng Chang
- Department of Neurology, Ming Jong Hospital, Pingtung 900, Taiwan
Che-Long Su
- Department of Neurology, Ming Jong Hospital, Pingtung 900, Taiwan
Hung-Yi Chiou
- School of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wu-Hsing Street, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +886 2 23779189; fax: +886 2 23779188.
Chien-Jen Chen
- Graduate Institute of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan

Received 30 September 2005; received in revised form 25 May 2006; accepted 25 July 2006. published online 18 September 2006.

Abstract

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 >1.0mm, 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 >50μg/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.