Effects of paraoxonase 1 activity and gene polymorphisms on long-term pulmonary complications of sulfur mustard-exposed veterans.

Sulfur mustard (SM) is an alkylating agent with prolonged adverse effects. The antioxidant paraoxonase 1 (PON1), an endogenous free radical scavenger, plays a protective role against oxidative stress. The possible roles of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of SM, together with the antioxidant activity of PON1, are enough to warrant the analysis of PON1 polymorphisms and allelic variants in incapacitated veterans. PON1 55 L/M and 192 Q/R polymorphisms were assayed in 289 male veterans with severe pulmonary conditions, who were exposed to SM 20-25 years ago, and 66 gender-, age- and ethnic-matched healthy controls. As we showed previously the PON1 activity decreased significantly in veterans. However, PON1 55 L/M and 192 Q/R genotype distributions were not significantly different between the veterans and the controls. R and L allele carriers have also significantly higher basal and salt-stimulated PON1 activity than Q and M allele carriers. Paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in individuals with the QQ+(MM or LM) genotype were significantly lower than those with the (RR or QR)+LL genotype. Furthermore, basal and salt-stimulated paraoxonase activity in veterans with the (RR or QR)+LL genotype was significantly lower than that in the controls. A positive correlation has been determined between serum PON1 activity and pulmonary function test in QR/LL genotypes. Some of the veterans with RR+QR genotypes have also shown a novel missense change of Asn227Ser in exon 6 of the enzyme. This substitution is close to the binding domain of PON1 and so modifies enzyme activity.