The Relationship Between Paraoxonase-1 and Obesity Markers in Egyptian Obese Diabetic Patients

Obesity is a chronic medical condition that results in excessive fat accumulation, which presents a health risk. It is typically assessed using the body mass index (BMI), which is higher than 30 kg/m².Paraoxonase-1 (PON1), an enzyme bound to high-density lipoprotein (HDL), exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help mitigate oxidative stress. Diminished PON1 activity has been implicated in the development of obesity-related pathologies. This study aimed to evaluate PON1 activity and examine its relationship with metabolic, oxidative, and inflammatory markers in obese Egyptian individuals, both with and without type 2 diabetes. This study included forty obese patients (with and without diabetes) and 20 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and social level. Blood samples of patients and healthy individuals were obtained to determine PON1 activity, along with markers related to obesity, diabetes, oxidative stress, and immuno-inflammatory markers. This study showed that obese and obese-diabetic subjects had significantly higher levels of BMI, leptin, creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), oxidative stress markers (NO and MDA), inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β), atherogenic lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-c), and diabetic indicators (FBS, PPBS, and HbA1c). These changes were accompanied by significantly lower PON1 activity and reduced antioxidant defenses (GSH, SOD, and CAT). PON1 activity was inversely correlated with unfavorable metabolic markers and positively associated with protective factors such as HDL-c, insulin, and antioxidant levels. Decreased PON1 activity is closely linked to an adverse metabolic phenotype in obesity, marked by elevated oxidative stress, inflammation, and dyslipidemia. These results indicated that PON1 may be a potential biomarker for identifying high-risk individuals and guiding preventive approaches in obese patients.