Contribution of polymorphic variants of GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 genes to the development of disorders of the nerve structure in patients with vibration syndrome

Introduction. Preliminary results indicate to the association of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) genes polymorphic variants with changes in the nerve structure in patients with vibration syndrome. Those results were the basis to conduct the present study on a sample of patients with hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) with the involvement of a control group.

The aim of the study. To establish the contribution of GSTP1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 genes polymorphic variants in the development of nerve structure disorders in HAVS patients and characterize intergene interactions.

Materials and methods. Polymorphic variants of the GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 (Ile105Val and Ala114Val) genes in one hundred seventy one man (89 HAVS patients and 82 control individuals) were studied by PCR-RT method. The structure of peripheral nerves was assessed using high-resolution ultrasonography and the results were expressed as the cross-sectional area (CSA). The MDR 3.0.2 software was used to assess of interactions polymorphic variants of GST genes.

Results. An increase of nerve structure parameters was found in HAVS patients relative to the control group despite the absence of age differences. Carriers of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes deletion variants had a higher CSAmax of the median nerve (p = 0.015 and p = 0.008, respectively) compared with carriers of the genotype without the deletion among HAVS patients. Analysis of polymorphic variants interactions of GST genes made it possible to establish the Ile105Val GSTP1 gene polymorphism to have the greatest influence on the probability of developing structure of the median nerve disorders while the Ala114Val GSTP1 gene polymorphism makes a greater contribution to entropy.

Limitations. Limitations include the small number of examined individuals, lack of analysis of electrophysiological changes and gene-environment interactions.

Conclusion. The final phenotypic outcome (change in nerve structure) is determined not so much by individual risk-associated of genes polymorphic variants, but by the balance of the entire set of glutathione-S-transferase genes, which may explain the lack of strong individual relationships in the analysis.

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 March 21, 2023). All participants gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study.

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. – study design, sample collection, implementation of methods and data analysis, final statistical data analysis, text writing and editing;
Lakhman O.L. – text editing.
All authors are responsible for the integrate of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

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

Funding. The study was supported within a framework of State Assignment for East Siberian Institute of Medical and Ecological Research (No. 123032000007-8).

Received: September 12, 2025 / Accepted: October 15, 2025 / Published: November 14, 2025

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