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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Candidate Gene Testing in Clinical Cohort Studies with Multiplexed Genotyping and Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 21, 2018
GSTM1 and TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms and relations between blood lead and inflammatory markers in a
Jin Hee Kim1, Kwan-Hee Lee, Dong Ho Yoo
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, Republic of Korea. jhkim777@snu.ac.kr
Abstract:
Inflammation is known to be an important underlying condition in the development of a variety of diseases. To investigate whether blood lead induces inflammatory reactions in non-occupationally exposed adults and the effects of genetic susceptibility associated with GSTM1 and TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms on this inflammatory response, we measured blood lead levels in 300 healthy university students. Total serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels and WBC counts were determined to evaluate the inflammatory response. Allelic loss of GSTM1 and the TNF-alpha-308 G>A polymorphism were determined by PCR and RFLP. Positive relations between blood lead and three inflammation biomarkers were shown in male subjects with blood lead > or =2.51microg/dl (median value) (TNF-alpha, p=0.015; IL-6, p=0.082; and WBC, p=0.044). However, subgroup analysis by genotype showed an effect of blood lead on the three biomarkers only in individuals with the GSTM1 null (TNF-alpha, p=0.020; IL-6, p=0.096; and WBC, p=0.017) or TNF-alpha GG (TNF-alpha, p=0.017; IL-6, p=0.088; and WBC, p=0.095) genotype, and not in individuals with GSTM1 present (all three inflammatory biomarkers, p>0.1) or the TNF-alpha GA or AA (all three biomarkers, p>0.1) genotype. These results suggest that blood lead affects the inflammatory response and that GSTM1 and TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms are genetic factors associated with lead-induced inflammatory response.
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