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Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 44, 1919-1926, October 2003
Copyright © 2003 by American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology





* Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Medical School and Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
Published, JLR Papers in Press, July 16, 2003. DOI 10.1194/jlr.M300129-JLR200
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: atselep{at}cc.uoi.gr
| ABSTRACT |
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Our results provide evidence that PON1 significantly contributes to the pool of HDL-PAF-AH activity in human plasma, and suggest that the low PAF-AH activity in HDL carrying the PON1 L alloenzyme may be an important factor contributing to the low efficiency of this HDL in protecting LDL against lipid peroxidation.
Supplementary key words high density lipoprotein platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase paraoxonase-1 PON1 polymorphisms platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase polymorphisms
| INTRODUCTION |
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PAF-AH exhibits a
/ß hydrolase conformation and has broad substrate specificity toward lipid esters containing short acyl chains. It also displays phospholipase A1 and A2 activities as well as transacetylase activity. Of these, the Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 activity of PAF-AH has been principally studied [reviewed in ref. (3)]. PAF-AH can hydrolyze and inactivate PAF, the potent lipid mediator involved in inflammatory diseases as well as in atherogenesis. PAF-AH can also effectively hydrolyze oxidized phospholipids that play key roles in several aspects of atherogenesis. In human plasma, PAF-AH is primarily associated with LDL particles, whereas a small proportion (<20% of total enzyme activity) is associated with HDL (3). The gene for the plasmatic PAF-AH has been mapped to chromosome 6q21.2-p12, comprises 12 exons, and spans at least 45 kb of DNA (4). Several genetic variants of this enzyme have been described. Two of them are situated in exon 9 (V279F and Q281R) and have been described only in Japanese populations. These mutations result in a complete loss of the enzyme activity and are associated with severe asthma, stroke, and cardiovascular disease (5, 6). Two other genetic variants, V379A (exon 11) and I198T (exon7), have been described and are associated with atopy and asthma in European populations. Furthermore, in vitro studies have shown that these two polymorphisms are associated with a reduction in PAF-AH kinetic constants (7).
PON1 is an esterase that in plasma is exclusively associated with HDL. PON1 can hydrolyze oxidized phospholipids and cholesteryl ester hydroperoxides formed during lipoprotein peroxidation, and plays a protective role against the oxidative modification of plasma lipoproteins (8). The PON1 gene is located on the long arm of chromosome 7. Two genetic variants of this enzyme have been described, one at position 55 (methionine/leucine, M55L) and the other at position 192 (glutamine/arginine, Q192R). The substrates for PON1 that have been mostly used in assays in vitro are paraoxon and phenyl acetate. Several studies have shown that paraoxon hydrolytic activity using either HDL or purified PON1 is high in PON1 R192R and L55L individuals and low in PON1 Q192Q and M55M individuals. By contrast, both PON1 alloenzymes have a similar hydrolytic activity toward phenyl acetate (9). On the other hand, the capacity of PON1 alloenzymes to protect LDL from oxidation is distinguished from that of paraoxon hydrolytic activity. Thus, PON1 either purified or associated with HDL from MM/QQ individuals exhibits the greatest protective capacity toward LDL oxidation in vitro (10).
In addition to the above activities, PON1 expresses a PAF-AH catalytic activity (11). In this context, it has been suggested that the HDL-associated PAF-AH (HDL-PAF-AH) activity is mainly due to the PAF-AH catalytic activity of PON1, as no PAF-AH protein was found on this lipoprotein (11). By contrast, it was recently shown that the total PAF-AH activity associated with HDL is due to the PAF-AH protein (12). In the present study we investigated whether the PON1 polymorphisms (M55L and Q192R) or the PAF-AH polymorphism V379A could affect the PAF-AH activity in plasma and that associated with HDL in patients with dyslipidemia of type IIA or IIB, as well as in normolipidemic, apparently healthy volunteers.
| METHODS |
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A total of 122 healthy unrelated volunteers with no history of dyslipidemia or CHD also participated in the study. Volunteers were either staff of the University Hospital of Ioannina or attending for a routine health check at the Outpatient Clinic of this Hospital.
None of the participants were taking lipid-lowering drugs or any other medication known to affect lipid metabolism, including hormonal therapy, during the last 12 weeks. Individuals with hypertension (blood pressure, 140/90 mmHg on repeated measurements), diabetes mellitus (fasting blood glucose, 126 mg/dl), obesity (body mass index, 30 kg/m2) or thyroid, hepatic, or renal diseases, as well as subjects known to ingest more than two alcoholic drinks daily or who were taking vitamin supplements were excluded from the study. Finally, no patient had any clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of Ioannina, and all study patients gave written informed consent for participation in the study.
Determination of PON1 and PAF-AH genotypes
Genomic DNA was obtained from leukocytes using standard procedures. The PON1 M55L and Q192R polymorphisms were detected using a previously reported protocol (13). To determine the variations of 279 (14) and 379 (7) of PAF-AH genes, DNA was amplified and analyzed by restriction isotyping. Briefly, primers for amplification of a 99 bp DNA that contains the coding sequence for position 192 were 5'TAT TGT TGC TGT GGG ACC TGA G3' and 5'CAC GCT AAA CCC AAA TAC ATC TC3'. After an initial denaturation step of 5 min at 95°C, the PCR was carried out for 40 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 60 s of denaturation at 94°C, 45 s of annealing at 56°C, and 45 s of extension at 72°C. PCR product was digested with 5 units of AlwI restriction enzyme for 3 h at 37°C.
For genotyping the M55L polymorphism, the primers for amplification of 144 bp DNA encoding codon 55 were 5'GAG TGA TGT ATA GCC CCA GTT TC3' and 5'AGT CCA TTA GGC AGT ATC TCC G3'. An initial incubation for 5 min at 95°C was followed by the step of amplification that was carried out for 40 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 1 min of denaturation at 94°C, 45 s of annealing at 61°C, and 45 s of extension at 72°C. PCR product was digested with 5 units of Hinf I restriction enzyme for 24 h at 37°C.
The PAF-AH V379A polymorphism was detected using 5'GGG AGA CAT AGA TTC AAC TG3' and 5'GGT CAT GAA AAA AAT AGT TT3' primers. After an initial denaturation step of 5 min at 94°C, the PCR was carried out for 35 cycles, with each cycle consisting of 45 s of denaturation at 94°C, 50 s of annealing at 53°C, and 50 s of extension at 72°C. PCR product was digested with 5 units of Pst I restriction enzyme for 24 h at 37°C.
Isolation of HDL
HDL (d = 1.0631.210 g/ml) was isolated from the HDL-containing supernatant after treatment of serum with magnesium chloride/dextran sulfate to precipitate all apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins (HDL-rich serum). HDL isolation was performed by sequential ultracentrifugation in a Beckman L7-65 ultracentrifuge at 40,000 rpm, 14°C, with a type NVT 65 rotor. The HDL preparation was dialyzed against 10 mM PBS (pH 7.4) for 24 h at 4°C. It was then filter sterilized and stored in the dark at 4°C under nitrogen for up to 2 weeks.
Measurement of PAF-AH and PON1 activities
PAF-AH activity in isolated HDL, in plasma, and in HDL-rich plasma (prepared as the HDL-rich serum) was determined by the trichloroacetic acid precipitation procedure using [3H]PAF (100 mM final concentration) as a substrate (15). PON1 activity in serum and in HDL-rich serum was measured using paraoxon as a substrate, whereas PON1 activity in isolated HDL was measured using phenyl acetate as a substrate. Both PON1 activities were determined in the presence of 2 mM Ca+2 in 100 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8.0) for paraoxon and in 20 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8.0) for phenyl acetate (15).
Analytical methods
Serum total cholesterol and triglycerides were determined on the Olympus AU560 Clinical Chemistry analyzer (Hamburg, Germany). Serum HDL cholesterol levels were measured with the above method in the HDL-rich serum. Serum LDL cholesterol levels were calculated using the Friedewald formula. Serum apoB, apoA-I, apoA-II, and apoE were measured by immunonephelometry with the aid of a Behring Nephelometer BN100 and reagents (antibodies and calibrators) from Behring Diagnostics GmbH (Liederbach, Germany). The total cholesterol and the phospholipid content of HDL were measured enzymatically using the Bio-Merieux kit (15).
Statistical analysis
One-way ANOVA followed by least significant difference test was used for comparisons among individual groups. Allele frequencies were estimated by the gene-counting method, and Hardy-Weinberg's equilibrium was tested by the
2 test. The same test was used to compare percentages. Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for comparisons among the paraoxonase activities. Student's t-test for independent samples was used to estimate the effect of the enzyme polymorphisms on lipid parameters and enzyme activities.
| RESULTS |
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2 tests to compare observed and expected genotype frequencies have been performed and all were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
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Influence of PON1 and PAF-AH polymorphisms on lipid profile and enzyme activities
Individuals of each group were subgrouped as follows: i) according to PON1 192 genotype into homozygotes for the Q allele and those having one or two R alleles; ii) according to PON1 55 genotype into homozygotes for the L allele and those having one or two M alleles; iii) according to PAF-AH 379 genotype into homozygotes for the A allele and those having one or two V alleles. Comparisons between the above subgroups were performed within each studied group. These subgroups were matched for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking habits.
No difference in the serum lipid and apolipoprotein levels was observed among the above genotype subgroups (data not shown), suggesting that none of the studied polymorphisms affect the lipid profile either in healthy volunteers or in any patient group.
As shown in Table 3, the PON1 Q192R polymorphism significantly influenced the serum PON1 activity toward paraoxon in each studied group, the Q192Q individuals having lower activity compared with the R carriers of the same group, an observation that accords with previously published results (16). The same phenomenon was observed when subjects of each group were subgrouped according to the PAF-AH V379A polymorphism (Table 3). It must be noted that when the R carriers were divided into homozygotes and heterozygotes, the Q192R individuals presented intermediate levels of enzyme activity between the Q and R homozygotes of the same group (data not shown). Furthermore, independent of the presence of the PAF-AH V379A polymorphism, the PON1 activity was significantly influenced by the M55L polymorphism, the L55L individuals having higher activity compared with the M-carriers in each studied group (Table 3), a finding that also accords with previously published data (16). When the M carriers were divided into homozygotes and heterozygotes, the M55L individuals presented intermediate levels of enzyme activity between the M and L homozygotes of the same group (data not shown). It must be noted that similar results were obtained for the PON1 activity measured in the HDL-rich serum (data not shown). The present study shows for the first time that neither the Q192R nor the M55L polymorphism of PON1 influences the plasma PAF-AH activity. Furthermore, the plasma PAF-AH activity was not influenced by the PAF-AH V379A polymorphism (Table 3).
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| DISCUSSION |
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It has been shown that PON1 exerts a PAF-AH activity (11), and at the same time, this enzyme is capable of oxidatively hydrolyzing fragmented phospholipids (20). These activities confer on PON1 the ability to retard LDL oxidation (21) and to reduce the proinflammatory effects of oxidized LDL (8). These PON1 activities are calcium independent and are distinguished from the PON1 hydrolytic activity against organophosphate substrates, which are highly calcium dependent (22). The contribution of PON1 to the PAF-AH activity expressed on HDL has recently been a subject for debate. Thus, it has been suggested that the HDL-PAF-AH activity is primarily due to PON1, although it was recently shown that the PAF-AH activity in HDL is exclusively due to the PAF-AH protein (12). Our finding that the PON1 M55L polymorphism significantly influences the HDL-PAF-AH activity rather favors the assumption that PON1 essentially contributes to the HDL-PAF-AH activity. We may exclude the possibility that the HDL of L carriers contains less PON1 protein compared with the M carriers, as we did not find any difference between L55L and M55M individuals in the HDL-associated PON1 activity toward phenyl acetate, which is not influenced by this polymorphism (9). Moreover, it has been shown that the PON1 allele is associated with higher serum concentrations of the enzyme compared with the M allele (23). Based on the above observations, we may suggest that the low PAF-AH activity in individuals carrying the L alloenzyme may be due to the replacement of 55-methionine by leucine, thus suggesting that the 55-methionine residue of PON1 is essential for the expression of the PAF-AH catalytic activity by this enzyme.
As expected, none of the subjects investigated exhibited the loss-of-function PAF-AH V279F mutation. On the other hand, one-third of our population exhibited the PAF-AH V379A polymorphism, which, however, did not affect either total plasma PAF-AH activity or the HDL-associated enzyme activity. It has been previously shown that this polymorphism significantly affects the enzyme kinetic constants (7); however, these experiments were performed using purified recombinant enzyme carrying the V379A variant. Thus, the difference between these previously published results and those of the present study could be due to other factors that influence the enzyme activity, such as the lipid environment of the lipoprotein particles that carry the enzyme in plasma (18).
The lower PAF-AH activity in L55L individuals compared with the carriers of the M allele found in the present study may explain, at least partially, the lower capacity of PON1 from the L55L individuals to protect LDL from oxidation compared with the carriers of the M allele (24). However, based on our results, we cannot comment on whether the low HDL-PAF-AH activity in L55L individuals may contribute to the association between the PON1 55L allele and atherosclerosis reported in previous studies (25, 26). On the other hand, other studies failed to show any association of this allele with the risk of CHD (27). Additionally, the PON1 Q192R polymorphism has been associated with the risk for CHD (28), and according to our results, this polymorphism does not affect the HDL-PAF-AH activity. Thus, it is profound that further studies involving CHD patients are required to show whether the results of the present study have any impact on the pathophysiology of CHD.
In conclusion, the present study shows for the first time that the PON1 M55L polymorphism influences the PAF-AH activity associated with HDL in both dyslipidemic and normolipidemic populations, and further suggests that PON1 significantly contributes to the pool of PAF-AH activity associated with HDL in human plasma.
Manuscript received March 26, 2003 and in revised form July 8, 2003.
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