Paraoxonase (PON1) deficiency is associated with increased macrophage oxidative stress: studies in PON1-knockout mice

Human serum paraoxonase (PON1), an HDL-associated esterase, protects lipoproteins against oxidation, probably by hydrolyzing specific lipid peroxides. As arterial macrophages play a key role in oxidative stress in early atherogenesis, the aim of the present study was to examine the effect of PON1 on macrophage oxidative stress. For this purpose we used mouse arterial and peritoneal macrophages (MPM) that were harvested from two populations of PON1 knockout (KO) mice: one on the genetic background of C57BL/6J (PON10) and the other one on the genetic background of apolipoproteinE KO (PON10/E0). Serum and LDL, but not HDL, lipids peroxidation was increased in PON10, compared to C57BL/6J mice, by 84% and by 220%, respectively. Increased oxidative stress was shown in peritoneal and in arterial macrophages derived from either PON10 or PON10/E0 mice, compared to their appropriate controls. Macrophage oxidative stress was expressed by increased lipid peroxides content in MPM from PON10 and from PON10/E0 mice by 48% and by 80%, respectively, and by decreased reduced glutathione (GSH) content, compared to the appropriate controls. Furthermore, increased capacity of MPM from PON10 and PON10/E0 mice to oxidize LDL (by 40% and by 19%, respectively) and to release superoxide anions was observed. In accordance with these results, PON10 mice MPM exhibited 130% increased translocation of the cytosolic p47phox component of NADPH-oxidase to the macrophage plasma membrane, suggesting increased activation of macrophage NADPH-oxidase in PON10 mice, compared to control mice MPM. The increase in oxidative stress in PON1-deficient mice was observed despite the presence of the two other members of the PON gene family. PON2 and PON3 activities and mRNA expression were both found to be present in PON1-deficient mice MPM. Upon incubation of PON10/E0 derived macrophages with human PON1 (7.5 arylesterase units/ml), cellular peroxides content was decreased by 18%, macrophage superoxide anion release was decreased by 33%, and macrophage-mediated oxidation of LDL was reduced by 22%. Finally, a 42% increase in the atherosclerotic lesion area was observed in PON10/E0 mice, in comparison to E0 mice under regular chow diet. We thus concluded that PON1 can directly reduce oxidative stress in macrophages and in serum, and that PON1-deficiency results in increased oxidative stress not only in serum, but also in macrophages, a phenomenon that can contribute to the accelerated atherosclerosis shown in PON1-deficient mice.