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Fish oil fatty acids and human platelets: dose-dependent decrease in dienoic and increase in trienoic thromboxane
H J Krämer1, J Stevens, F Grimminger
1Department of Internal Medicine, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
Biochemical Pharmacology
|October 25, 1996
Summary
Dietary n-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DCHA), suppress platelet thromboxane A2 (TxA2) generation. EPA and DCHA act as competitive inhibitors, offering a potential therapeutic strategy to reduce inflammatory and coagulatory events.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Dietary n-3 fatty acids, particularly from fish oil, are investigated for their anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulatory properties.
- Parenteral nutrition enriched with n-3 fatty acids increases plasma concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DCHA).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of free EPA and DCHA on platelet thromboxane A2 (TxA2) and thromboxane A3 (TxA3) formation.
- To determine if EPA and DCHA can suppress TxA2 generation and platelet aggregation.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of stable hydrolysis products of thromboxanes (TxB2 and TxB3) using high-performance liquid chromatography-ELISA.
- Incubation of washed human platelets with arachidonic acid (AA), A23187, or thrombin, with or without varying concentrations of EPA or DCHA.
- Measurement of platelet aggregation induced by U46619.
Main Results:
- EPA and DCHA significantly suppressed platelet TxA2 generation in a dose-dependent manner, acting as competitive inhibitors.
- EPA was a poor substrate for cyclooxygenase/thromboxane synthase, leading to some TxA3 formation, while DCHA was not a substrate.
- Both EPA and DCHA dose-dependently inhibited U46619-provoked platelet aggregation.
Conclusions:
- EPA and DCHA are potent inhibitors of TxA2 generation in platelets.
- Enrichment of plasma free fatty acids with n-3 lipids may be a therapeutic approach to mitigate pro-aggregatory and vasoconstrictory effects of TxA2.