Mohammad Hosain Afrand - Medical Scientific Association, Ali-Ebne Abitaleb Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Yazd Branch, Yazd, Iran.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the possible association between genetic polymorphisms of the Glutathione S-transferase-mu (GSTM1) and the risk of the development of DM in Zoroastrian females in Yazd, Iran. Materials and methods: In this case-control study, GSTM1 polymorphism was genotyped in 51 randomly selected DM patients and 50 randomly selected healthy controls on June 2014 among Zoroastrian females whose ages ranged from 40 to 70. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. Results: The frequency of GSTM1 null and GSTM1 present were 46 and 54% respectively in control samples while in T2DM patients, the frequency of GSTM1 null and GSTM1 present were 51 and 49% respectively. There were higher levels of TG, fasting blood sugar (FBS), TC, LDL, Urea, and HDL in cases of GSM1 null genotype compared to the GSTM1 present genotype in controls. Conclusions: GSTM1 deletion polymorphism has a greater risk of acquiring diabetes. However, we observed no significant association between the GSTM1 null genotype and DM in the current study.

Glutathione S-transferase M1, Genetic polymorphism, Type 2 diabetes, Female, Ethnic group