RESEARCH COMMUNICATION SULT1A1 Arg213His Polymorphism and Lung Cancer Risk: a Meta-analysis

Sulfotransferases (SULTs) are involved in the phase II metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds including drugs, thyroid and steroid hormones, catecholamines and procarcinogenic agents (Falany, 1997; Richard et al., 2001). Sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1), an important member of this enzyme superfamily, has high activity towards a wide range of substrates including environmental and tobacco carcinogens. SULT1A1 catalyze the sulfonation of N-hydroxy derivatives of arylamines and heterocyclic amines, which are presented in tobacco smoke, to form more reactive DNA-damaging electrophiles (Ozawa et al., 1994; Chou et al., 1995). Sulfonation can also activate another major class of tobacco carcinogens, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro PAHs (Watabe et al., 1982; Surh et al., 1995; Arlt et al., 2002). Therefore, reduced activity of SULT enzymes may result in accumulation of potential carcinogens. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified in the SULT1A1 gene (Raftogianis et al.,