OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1), and glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) and urinary level of mercapturic acids of styrene (PHEMAs) in workers exposed to styrene.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-six workers exposed to styrene were selected as exposure group, and 150 workers without styrene exposure as the control group; all the workers came from a locomotive shell production factory in Shandong Province, China. The PCR-RFLP technique was applied to analyze the individual genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1; the multiplex PCR technique was used to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1; the relationship between genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 and urinary level of PHEMAs in workers exposed to styrene was statistically analyzed.

RESULTSThe three genotypes investigated in the study had a distribution in accordance with the Chinese population. With exposure to high- concentration styrene, the individuals carrying GSTP1 (exon5, A105G) AA genotype (wildtype) had a significantly higher urinary level of PHEMAs (43.58 mg/g) than those with mutant genotypes AG (29.769 mg/g) and GG (30.245 mg/g); the urinary level of PHEMAs in individuals carrying wild-type GSTM1 genotype was significantly higher than that in individuals carrying deficient-type GSTM1 genotype (40.197 mg/g vs 28.866 mg/g, P < 0.05); no significant difference in urinary level of PHEMAs was found between individuals carrying wild-type GSTT1 genotype and deficient-type GSTT1 genotype. There was no significant relationship between the three gene polymorphisms and urinary level of PHEMAs in the control group.

CONCLUSIONThe genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1 and GSTM1 may be related to urinary level of PHEMAs in workers exposed to styrene.