Role of glutathione S-transferases polymorphisms and monocyte CD64 expression in Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Aim of work: To study the genetic variants of glutathione S-transferases and monocyte CD64 expression in systemic lupus erythematosus patients and to evaluate their role in disease susceptibility, activity and damage. Patients and methods: Forty female SLE patients and 40 age matched controls were genotyped for GSTP1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene polymorphisms using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism, conventional PCR and were assessed for monocyte CD64 expression level using flow cytometry. SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) and the systemic lupus international. collaborating clinics/damage index (SLICC DI) were considered. Results: The patients mean age was 28.13 ± 4.56 years and disease duration of 6.4 ± 4.9 with a SLEDAI of 14.4 ± 7.1 and SLICC/DI 3.7 ± 1.5. The frequency of GSTM1 null genotype tended to be higher (55%) in SLE patients compared to the controls (and 42.5%) (p = 0.09). The frequency of GSTT1 null genotype was significantly higher in SLE patients (25%) compared to controls (12.5%) (p