HDL--associated paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and dietary antioxidants attenuate lipoprotein oxidation, macrophage foam cells formation and atherosclerosis development.

Dietary antioxidants act as a first line of defense against lipids peroxidation in lipoproteins and in arterial cells, including macrophage foam cells. A second line of defense by antioxidants could be related to stimulation of paraoxonases (PONs). PON1 is associated in serum with high density lipoprotein (HDL). The activity of serum PON1 was shown to be inversely associated with the risk for atherosclerosis development and this phenomenon could be related to the ability of PON 1 to protect lipids in LDL, HDL and arterial cells against oxidation, secondary to its hydrolytic action on specific oxidized lipids. PON1 was shown to play a major role in protecting against oxidative stress and its consequent cardiovascular diseases development. Dietary intervention with appropriate nutraceuticals, with most potent and diverse antioxidative properties most efficiently attenuate cardiovascular diseases progression. Major risk factors for atherosclerosis development include the quantity and quality of low density lipoprotein (LDL, “The bad cholesterol”) and that of high density lipoprotein (HDL, “the good cholesterol”). High