AIM: To investigate the distribution of the placental form of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in colon polyps in order to evaluate the role of GST-pi in these tissues. METHODS: Sixteen polyp tissues removed at colon- oscopy were examined. Tissues were investigated his- tologicaUy and ultrastructurally. GST-pi expression was also analysed immunohistochemically, using peroxidase anti-peroxidase (PAP) method and immunogold label- ling method, for light and electron microscope respec- tively. RESULTS: All polyp tissues examined were adenoma of low, mild and high- grade dysplasia as shown in the histopathological reports. Nevertheless, the examina- tion of the above specimens with electron microscope revealed that 3 of 9 adenoma of mild dysplasia had ultrastuctural features similar to high-grade dysplasia adenoma. GST-pi was variably expressed in adenoma, with the lowest relative levels occurring in low-grade adenoma and the highest levels found in high-grade adenoma. GST-pi was located mainly in undifferentiat- ed epithelial cells. GST-pi positive particles were found in the cytoplasm and especially in the nucleus adjacent to the nuclear membrane of these cells. CONCLUSION: The overexpression of GST-pi in mild- grade adenomas with significant subcellular changes and in the majority of high-grade dysplasia adenoma suggests that this might be related to the carcinogenetic proceeding. Immunohistochemical localization of GST-pi in combination with ultrastructural changes indicate that GST-pi might be a sensitive agent for the detection of preneoplastic transformations in adenoma.