Paraoxonase: A multifaceted biomolecule

Background: Paraoxonase enzyme was first identified as a protective barrier against organophosphorus poisoning. After painstaking research spanning the last three decades, the knowledge about this enzyme has increased immensely. The present review attempts to elaborate the role of paraoxonase enzyme in normal physiology as well as provide an overview of the various disorders in which the enzyme may have a role in etiopathogenesis. Methods: The literature was searched from the websites of the National Library of Medicine (http://www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/) and Pub Med Central, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's digital archive of life sciences journal literature. Results: Paraoxonase acts as an important antioxidant enzyme against oxidative stress. The enzyme has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of disorders including cardiovascular disorders, cancers etc. Conclusions: A better understanding of the molecular mechanism of the enzyme along with the regulatory circuits will help us to utilize agonists to potentiate the anti oxidant actions of the enzyme. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.