NAD(P)H: Quinone oxidoreductase 1, glutathione S-transferase M1, environmental tobacco smoke exposure, and childhood asthma.

Mutat Res. 2009 Aug; 678(1):53-8.MR

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure might increase the risk for childhood asthma, and we hypothesized the effect may be modified by the phase II genes NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1. To investigate the genetic and environmental associations with asthma, GSTM1 and NQO1 functional polymorphisms and ETS were analyzed in a two-staged cross-sectional study among elementary schoolchildren in Taiwan. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between the Ser allele of the NQO1 Pro187Ser polymorphism and asthma (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.3-1.8). Although GSTM1 genotype itself was not significantly associated with asthma (OR=1.0, 95% CI 0.8-1.1), the GSTM1 genotype modified the association between the NQO1 polymorphism and asthma in children exposed to ETS (p=0.0002). The NQO1 gene might be involved in the development of asthma, especially in children carrying the GSTM1 null genotype who are exposed to ETS.