Role of Glutathione-S-Transferase Family Genes in Male Infertility

Polymorphisms of xenobiotic detoxification genes GSTT1 and GSTM1 and activity of glutathione system enzymes were studied in men with infertility. The frequency of deletion variant of GSTT1 gene in men with infertility was by 2 times higher than in fertile men. Deletion variant of GSTM1 gene was 1.4-fold more frequent in infertile men than in fertile men. Complete deletion of two genes was found in 19% men with infertility and only in 6% fertile men. The balance of activity of glutathione system enzymes essential for the effective detoxification of exogenous xenobiotics and toxic endogenous metabolites was impaired in infertile carriers of deletion variants of genes. Our results suggest that adaptation mechanisms are disordered in infertile men.