Genetic link in Gulf War syndrome

SOLDIERS WHO became ill after serving in the Gulf War may have a genetic trait which makes them more vulnerable to certain poisonous chemicals.Experts believe that this could account for some becoming very ill while others remain healthy.

Research published this week, from the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, reveals that some veterans of the Gulf War may have suffered from certain chemical exposures while others did not because of variations in a gene known to produce an enzyme which destroys the damaging chemicals.

Gulf War syndrome, which has symptoms ranging from fatigue, double vision and headaches to severe urinary and sexual problems, has caused a lot of controversy with ex-soldiers accusing the Government of hiding evidence and ignoring their suffering.

The existence of Gulf War syndrome was disputed earlier this year when British researchers found that although troops who had served in the Gulf had three times more illnesses compared with troops who had served in Bosnia, there was no single cause or illness that could be identified. Now the Dallas researchers believe they have established why one person became ill while the person next to him didn't. "This is one of the major puzzles that made many people think the symptoms were just due to stress," said Dr Robert Haley, head of epidemiology, at the centre and co-author of the study. "But now we know that there appears to be a genetic reason why some people got sick and others didn't, and this genetic difference links the illness to damage from certain chemicals."

The researchers have found that people with a gene that causes them to produce high amounts of a particular enzyme did not get sick after exposure to certain chemicals in Operation Desert Storm, while others who produce low amounts of the same enzyme did get sick. The gene controls the production of an enzyme called PON-Q, which eats up pesticide chemicals such as organophosphates, and makes them harmless. In some people the gene produces high levels of PON-Q which allows the body to fight off these poisonous toxins, but in others the levels produced are too low.

Professor Simon Wessely, consultant psychiatrist at King's College Medical School, and author of the British research questioning the existence of a Gulf War syndrome, said there was no doubt that troops who served in the Gulf had much higher levels of illnesses than other troops.

"We and other groups are also looking at this particular gene because it is known to produce enzymes which eat up organophosphates and make them harmless," he said.

"There was evidence to show that there has been a major adverse health effect on UK troops who served in the Gulf. We did not find a unique illness called Gulf War syndrome. If there is a genetic basis it will only apply to certain people in certain conditions," he added.

"Genes may provide a couple of pieces of the jigsaw but they will not provide the full picture. These are preliminary findings and we need to know whether this can be replicated by other groups."