CYP2E1 gene rs6413420 polymorphism was first found in the Bouyei ethnic group of China.

Background: China is a multinational country. The relationship between gene polymorphisms of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and national ethnicity has not previously investigated among Chinese people. The aim of this study was to investigate distributions of CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 gene polymorphisms in five ethnic groups of China.

Methods: 829 blood samples were collected from five ethnic groups (Han, Shui, Miao, Zhuang, Bouyei). Taqman-MGB probe was used in Real-time PCR to test the gene polymorphisms of CYP1A1 (rs1048943 and rs4646903) and CYP2E1 (rs2031920 and rs6413420). We further validate the SNP genotyping results through DNA sequencing.

Results: The genotype distribution of all four SNPs was in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium except the genotype distribution of rs4646903 in Han and Bouyei ethnic groups (p=0.013 and 0.0005, respectively). CYP2E1 gene rs6413420 polymorphism was first found in the Bouyei ethnic group in China. The results of DNA sequencing were entirely in line with the SNP genotyping assay.

Conclusions: The CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 genetic polymorphisms were different in different ethnic groups in China. CYP2E1 gene rs6413420 polymorphism was first found in the Bouyei ethnic group of China.