The determination of Q192R polymorphism of paraoxonase 1 by using non-toxic substrate p-nitrophenylacetate

CONTEXT: The human serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is calcium-dependent esterase and associates with the high density serum lipoproteins. PON1 plays a major role in oxidation of high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein and prevention of atherogenesis in coronary heart disease. PON1Q and R allele hydrolyses number of substrates like paraoxon (PO) (diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate) and phenylacetate. AIMS: The aim of the study is to the determination of Q192R polymorphism of PON1 by using non-toxic substrate p-nitrophenylacetate and compares it with the phenotype determined by using PO as substrate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consists of 60 healthy normal patients. Paraoxonase activity was measured using the procedure described by Eckerson (Reference method) and for phenotyping; the ratio of hydrolysis of PO in the presence of 1 M NaCl (salt-stimulated PON1, SALT) to the hydrolysis of phenylacetate (PA) is calculated. In new method (Haagen et al.) arylesterase activity measured using p-nitrophenylacetate and for phenotyping arylesterase, the ratio of inhibition of enzymatic hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylacetate (substrate) by phenyl acetate to non-inhibited hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylacetate (inhibited arylesterase activity (IA-IA(0))/non-inhibited arylesterase activity (NIA). RESULTS: It was found that paraoxonase activity is trimodally distributed in both the methods. There is no significant difference in the distribution of PON1 phenotypes of both reference method and new method being frequencies 0.946 and 0.376 respectively and there was no significant difference for phenotypic polymorphism for an individual by both methods (χ(2)= 0.15 and P = 0.9262). CONCLUSION: The Q192R polymorphism of PON1 by using non-toxic substrate p-nitrophenylacetate showed trimodal distribution of QQ (homozygous), QR (heterozygous), and RR (homozygous) phenotype and it is comparable with reference method. This method can be used for PON1 phenotype in different pathological and complex disease conditions.