The Gln-Arg 191 polymorphism of the human paraoxonase gene is not associated with the risk of coronary artery disease among Chinese in Taiwan

Paraoxonase (PON1) is a high density lipoprotein-associated enzyme capable of hydrolyzing lipid peroxides, and thus, might protect lipoproteins from o xidation. A common polymorphism due to an amino acid substitution (Gln-Arg) at codon 191 is considered to be a major determinant of variation in serum PON1 activity. Recent studies have suggested that the PON1-191 polymorphis m is an independent risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis in patients wi th or without diabetes mellitus. The association of PON1-191 polymorphism g enotypes and coronary artery disease (CAD) among Chinese subjects in Taiwan was examined. The genotype of 218 angiographically documented CAD patients and the same number of age- and sex-matched control subjects was determine d. Genotypes AA, AB and BE were present in 25 (11%), 102 (47%) and 91 (42%) of control subjects, respectively, and in 30 (14%), 96 (44%) and 92 (42%) of CAD patients, respectively (chi(2) = 0.57, P = 0.75 between groups). The frequency of the A allele was 0.36 for the control group and 0.35 for CAD patients (P = 0.94). No significant differences in the PON1-191 genotype fr equencies could be found between groups when multivariate logistic regressi on analysis was performed, or different subgroups of age, sex or risk facto rs were analyzed. Among control subjects, there was also no significant dif ference between genotypes of the PON1-191 polymorphism and various clinical and lipid variables. In conclusion, our data suggest that there is no asso ciation between the Gln-Arg 191 polymorphism of the human PON1 gene and CAD among Chinese subjects in Taiwan. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. A ll rights reserved.