Glutathione-S-transferase P1 polymorphism and risk for essential tremor.

Glutathione-S-transferases (GST) are polymorphic enzymes that participate in the metabolism of carcinogens (including those of tobacco smoke) and pesticides. We investigated the possible association between the GSTP1 genotype and allelic variants and the risk for essential tremor (ET). We studied the frequency of the GSTP1 genotypes and allelic variants in 200 patients with ET and 220 healthy controls using PCR-RFLP method. The association between GSTP1 polymorphism and the exposure to some environmental factors (agricultural work, pesticides, well-water and smoking-cigarettes habit) was also studied in a subgroup of patients. The frequencies of the GSTP1 genotypes and allelic variants did not differ significantly between patients with ET and controls or between patients with ET exposed to agricultural work, well water and cigarette smoking versus those non-exposed. Mutated allelic variants were significantly more frequent in patients with ET exposed to pesticides versus those non-exposed. GSTP1 polymorphism was unrelated with the age of onset of ET. GSTP1 genotypes and allelic variants were not related with the risk for ET with the possible exception of those patients exposed to pesticides.