[Glutathione S-transferase as a metabolic biomarker for predisposition to lung neoplasms induced by chemical carcinogens].
In the case of lung cancer induced by chemical carcinogens, cellular processes of metabolic activation and deactivation of these substances play a particular role. The involvement of glutathione--S-transferase in the process of deactivation of active metabolites draws special attention. Cellular activity of these enzymes is a significant factor which can define individual susceptibility to carcinogenic effect of occupational and environmental carcinogens. Glutathione--S-transferase catalyses the reaction of binding glutathione with a great number of pharmacologically active substances, including also those with genotoxic properties. These reactions protect cells against toxic and genotoxic effect of exo- and endogenous substances. They prevent among others, from producing adducts by genotoxic substances with macromolecules. Some of glutathione--S-transferases (the so-called ligands) act as proteins which bind and transport organic ligands in cells (bilirubin, steroid metabolites, bile acids). To date studies have not confirmed uni-vocally that low activity of glutathione--S-transferases be one of the reasons for an increased incidence of lung cancer. Observations of persons with phenotype of a low activity of glutathione--S-transferase (GSTM1-0) have indicated that the incidence of lung cancer is significantly higher among them than in persons with phenotype of normal activity of this enzyme. These observations, however, have not been confirmed by an analysis of relationship between the incidence of lung cancer and the genotype of low and normal activity of glutathione--S-transferase.