INFLUÊNCIA DE POLIMORFISMOS NOS GENES ANTIOXIDANTES GSTM1, GSTT1 E GSTP1 NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DE COMPLICAÇÕES OFTALMOLÓGICAS EM DIABÉTICOS TIPO 2.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder caused by beta cell dysfunction that interferes with insulin production and/or by the resistance of target organs to this hormone. An increase in free radicals together with a decline in antioxidant defenses, present in T2DM, can damage cellular organelles and promote the occurrence of disease complications. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are the main antioxidant enzymes involved in cellular defense against oxidative stress, and polymorphisms in genes encoding GSTs can lead to ophthalmic complications in persons with diabetes. In this study, we evaluated the influence of GST polymorphisms on the development of diseases such as cataract and glaucoma in patients with T2DM in Grande Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Methods: GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms were investigated using a multiplex PCR technique. PCR-RFLP was used for the GSTP1 gene. Statistical analysis was performed with Fisher's exact test or the chi-square test, with P-value <0.05. Results: There was no relationship between GSTM1, GSTT1, or GSTP1 polymorphisms and the occurrence of diseases such as glaucoma and cataract in patients with T2DM. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null polymorphisms and the ile105Val polymorphism in the GSTP1 gene are not associated with individual susceptibility to the development of ophthalmic complications in persons with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]