Two Decades of Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and Atherosclerosis

Paraoxonas e 1 (PON1 ) ha s bee n know n i n th e fi el d o f toxicolog y fo r it s detoxification properties. For the past two decades, among paraoxonase family, PON1 has been the most studied enzyme as compared to the PON2 and PON3. PON1 is synthesized in the liver and secreted into the blood in associated with high-density lipoprotei n (HDL) . Accumulate d dat a reveale d tha t i n additio n t o hydrolysi s o f organophosphate and aromatic ester, PON1 acts as antioxidant enzyme by inhibiting the oxidation of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL. With this antioxidant property and existence in the serum, thus PON1’s role has been linked to anti-atherosclerosis. The ability of PON1 to prevent cardiovascular disease has been also revealed both in vivo and in vitro models