title: Modifications of platelet phospholipid fatty acid composition in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: Increased thromboxane A2 (TXA2) generation by platelets has been reported both in diabetic patients and streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. This increase is in contrast to the decreased prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis by endothelial cells in diabetes. An imbalance in the ratio of TXA2/PGI2 has been implicated in increased platelet aggregation and a high incidence of vascular disease in human diabetes. The mechanism for this imbalance, however, remains elusive. In a previous study from our laboratory, we reported unchanged arachidonic acid levels in platelet membrane phospholipids of 3-week diabetic rats, but a decreased arachidonic acid level in platelet membrane phospholipids of 6-week diabetic rats. In the present communication, we report the role of enzymes that are involved in remodeling arachidonic acid levels of platelet membrane phospholipids in both 3- and 6-week diabetic rats. No alterations were observed in the activities of arachidonoyl-CoA synthetase, acyl-CoA: lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase, or phospholipase A2 in platelets from both 3- and 6-week diabetic rats. However, both increased uptake and incorporation of [14C]arachidonic acid into platelets were observed in the diabetic platelet-rich plasma. In conclusion, increased TXA2 formation in diabetic platelets is not due to alterations in the activities of enzymes involved in the incorporation into or release of arachidonate from the diabetic platelet membrane phospholipid, but may be due to increased efficiency of uptake, incorporation or possibly redistribution of this fatty acid among phospholipid classes in diabetic platelets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
authors.forename: A Q
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Faas
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jethmalani
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D008243:1-Acylglycerophosphocholine O-Acyltransferase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D003066:Coenzyme A Ligases / Q000097:blood; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood*; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000097:blood; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000097:blood; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013928:Thromboxane A2 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D010743:Phospholipids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D013928:Thromboxane A2; D011464:Epoprostenol; D008243:1-Acylglycerophosphocholine O-Acyltransferase; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D003066:Coenzyme A Ligases; C033896:arachidonate - CoA ligase