Platelet arachidonic acid metabolism in severe cerebrovascular disease

• Published in: Thrombosis research Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Sié, P., Perret, B., Cousin, F., Mauco, G., Boneu, B., Chap, H.J., Rascol, A., Douste-Blazy, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.10.1982
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Arachidonic Acid; Arachidonic Acids - metabolism; Blood Platelets - metabolism; cerebrovascular disease; Fatty Acids - biosynthesis; Female; Humans; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis - blood; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis - metabolism; Male; Middle Aged; Phospholipases A - metabolism; Phospholipases A2; Platelet Aggregation; Thromboxane A2 - biosynthesis; thromboxane generation; thromboxane generation; cerebrovascular disease; platelet aggregation
• ISSN: 0049-3848; 1879-2472
• DOI: 10.1016/0049-3848(82)90027-5

The ability of platelets to synthetise thromboxane B 2 and hydroxylated fatty acids from arachidonic acid was studied simultaneously with arachidonic acid-induced aggregation in 42 patients suffering from severe cerebral atherosclerosis and also in 34 healthy controls. Additionally, phospholipase-A 2-induced aggregation was performed as a probe for arachidonic acid located at the platelet surface. All the assays were performed with washed platelets, eliminating a possible influence of plasma. Platelets from patients were found responsive to significantly lower concentrations of arachidonic acid whereas thromboxane and hydroxylated fatty acid biosynthesis did not differ from controls. In the experimental conditions used, 75% of the control platelets underwent aggregation with phospholipase A 2 plus sphingomyelinase C, in comparison to only 50% for the patients, indicating the necessity for further analysis of the platelet membrane lipids in atherosclerosis.