ABSTRACT. In healthy women, intra-and extracellular controls prevent the attachment and proliferation of ectopic endometrial cells. During endometriosis, abnormalities in these control mechanisms permit the survival of endometrial cells, their subsequent attachment to the peritoneal cavity, and disease progression. These abnormal cells cause invasion of tissues and induce an inflammatory response. Several genetic, immunological, and environmental factors contribute to this complex process. In this study we examined 6 polymorphisms for 6 different genes (p53; estrogen receptor β; progesterone receptor; GSTM1; GSTT1; CYP1A1). We obtained polymorphic genotype frequencies of all genes for 50 patients and analyzed them using the Fisher exact test or G test. Initially, we analyzed the genes in groups of 2, followed by 3. We found a significant association between polymorphisms in 6 pairs of genes (p53-ERβ showed 5.9-times higher frequency in the experimental group, p53-GSTM1 showed 2.39 times higher, 65.5% patients showed p53-CYP1A1 polymorphism, ERβ-PROGINS showed 3.0-times higher frequency, while 31.25% patients showed GSTM1-PROGINS and GSTT1-CYP1A1 polymorphism). Positive results were found in 15 situations when genes were analyzed in groups of 3; the most significant result corresponded to polymorphisms of p53, ERβ and GSTM1 seen in 20%; PROGINS, ERβ and GSTM1 in 18%; and p53, ERβ and PROGINS in 12% patients. The results indicate that the presence of polymorphisms in more than one endometriosis-related gene is associated with onset of disease and progression. Future studies should focus on these genes to understand their inter-relationships and explore the possibility of developing new diagnostic techniques based on molecular markers.

ABSTRACT. In this study, we evaluated the genotype profile of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms in patient carriers of primary open-angle glaucoma in the population of Goiânia, GO, Brazil. This case-control study included 100 Brazilian patients with glaucoma and 53 patients without glaucoma. Blood samples were genotyped for polymorphisms in GST genes using polymerase chain reaction-based methods. Polymorphism frequencies were compared using the c 2 test and odds ratio (α = 0.05). The GSTM1-present genotype was 40% in the glaucoma group and 71.6% in the control group, while the GSTM1 null genotype was 60 and 28.3% in the same groups, respectively. The GSTT1-present genotype was 52% in the primary open-angle glaucoma group and 66% in the control group; the null genotype was 48% in the case group and 34% in the control group. The GSTM1 null Glaucoma and GSTM1/GSTT1 polymorphisms genotype was more frequent in the glaucoma group than in the control group (P = 0.0004; odds ratio = 6.7; 95% confidence interval = 2.7-20.3). The combined GSTM1 null and GSTT1-present genotypes were more frequent in the primary open-angle glaucoma group compared to the control group (P = 0.02; odds ratio = 3.1; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-7.9).