Predisposing roles of paraoxonase-1 genetic variants in Korean ischemic stroke patients

Paraoxonase-1 (PON1), a high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated enzyme, is involved in the metabolism and detoxification of insecticides and pesticides. The aims of this study were to evaluate the role of PON1 gene polymorphisms (−107C > T, L55M, and Q192R) in patients susceptible to ischemic stroke and to determine the interactive relationship between PON1 gene polymorphisms and vascular risk factors regarding stroke occurrence. The PON1 polymorphisms were not significantly different between 471 stroke patients and 427 control subjects. When stratified by the size of the occluded vessel, the PON1 L55M polymorphism was associated with patients with small-vessel disease (LM + MM; AOR, 2.161; 1.204–3.880). In gene–environment or gene–nutrient interaction analysis, significant interactions associated with increased stroke risk were found. Of those significant interactions, the PON1 55LM + MM genotype with a plasma folate level <3.57 ng/ml accelerated the stroke prevalence 5.793-fold (AOR, 5.793; 95 % CI 1.575–21.306). Our study suggested that genetic associations of PON1 with ischemic stroke were affected by pathophysiological and environmental factors. Further studies are needed to elucidate the interactions of PON1 with other stroke risk factors in large populations.