RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the associations of genetic polymorphisms in GSTs genes of the Hakka population of south China with family histories of certain chronic diseases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Five hundred and thirty-nine healthy Hakka natives of Meizhou city of Guangdong province in south China were involved. The genotypes of GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, GSTM3, and GSTA1 were determined using PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The observed polymorphisms were analyzed by Chi-square and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium tests. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the associations of the distributions of GST genotypes with family history of certain chronic diseases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The distributions of polymorphisms in GSTP1, GSTM3, and GSTA1 conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Compared to the Cantonese, the Hakka had a lower distribution of the GSTM3 deletion genotype (3.15% vs. 11.9%). A weak association was observed between the GSTM1 genetic polymorphism and family history of hypertension. Alcohol drinkers had a higher frequency of the null-GSTM1 genotype, while smokers had a higher frequency of a variant GSTP1 genotype.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results suggest that the Hakka is a special and distinctive Han Chinese ethnic group with different GSTs genetic polymorphisms. Smoking and drinking might be related to the distribution of GST genotypes.</p>