Potentiating Effect Of 5, 8, 11-Eicosatrienoic Acid (20:3ω9) On Platelet Aggregation
The in vitro effect of 20:3ω9 (5×10-6M) was tested on human platelet suspensions, with aggregation induced by thrombin, ionophore A23187, ADP, collagen and arachidonic acid. When 20:3ω9 was added simultaneously with the aggregating agent, the response was increased by 100 to 300 % with all agents. It was solely to thrombin and ionophore that the aggregation was increased (by 200 to 300 %) when 20:3ω9 was preesterified in the platelet phospholipids by a 2 hour incubation period and subsequent platelet washing. Aspirin at a concentration inhibiting cyclooxygenase activity, did not block the potentiating effect of 20:3ω9. However, that effect was inhibited by a higher aspirin concentration, also inhibiting the peroxydase from the lipoxygenase pathway. Monohydroperoxy (HOO) - and monohydroxy (HO) - 20:3ω9 have been prepared from human platelets and purified by TLC. When added to platelets in vitro, solely the HO-20:3ω9 (0.2×10-6M) increased by several folds the response to thrombin and ionophore. Finally, both thrombin and ionophore induced the formation of HO-20:3ω9 (detected by a radiochemical technique) from platelets enriched with 20:3ω9. Thus, an increase level of 20:3ω9 in the platelet phospholipids seems to markedly enhance the susceptibility of platelets to aggregation by thrombin (and ionophore), probably through the lipoxygenase end product. Consequently the increase in the susceptibility of platelets to thrombin induced aggregation reported in essential fatty acid deficiency as well as with high saturated fat intake, both in man and in animals, might be due to the higher level of 20:3ω9 in the platelet phospholipids, which has been observed under those conditions.