Maternal Environmental Exposure, Infant GSTP1 Polymorphism, and Risk of Isolated Congenital Heart Disease

The GSTP1 gene, highly expressed early in fetal life, is the most abundant phase 2 xenobiotic metabolism enzyme in a human placenta. Fetal inherited GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism may modify the metabolism and excretion of xenobiotics from fetal tissue and increase the risk of congenital heart disease (CHD). This study aimed to analyze the joint effects of GSTP1 genetic polymorphism (Ile105Val) and maternal environmental exposure on CHD risk. Within a case-control design, a total of 190 children with CHD (104 boys age 4 ± 5.6 years) and 190 healthy children (114 newborn boys) were genotyped for the GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism. Mothers completed a structured questionnaire on the demographics as well as the preconceptional and lifestyle exposures. A higher frequency of mothers of children with CHD (38 %) reported a positive history of exposure to toxicants (occupational and environmental) than mothers of healthy children (23 %) (p = 0.0013). Logistic regression analysis showed that maternal occupational and environmental exposures increased the risk of CHD (odds ratio, 2.6; 95 % confidence interval, 1.6-4.2; p < 0.0001). No significant differences in Ile105Val genotype frequencies were observed between the children with CHD and the healthy children (p = 0.9). Furthermore, case-control analysis showed no evidence of significant interaction between the maternal exposures and GSTP1 polymorphism. Maternal exposure to toxicants increased the risk of children with CHD. However, fetal GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism did not increase the risk of CHD.