title: Vitamin K-dependent and vitamin K-independent hypocoagulant effects of dietary fish oil in rats.
abstract: In rats, dietary fish oil causes a plasma triglyceride-lowering as well as hypocoagulant effect. The latter is apparent from reduced levels of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors and a decreased thrombin-forming potential of the coagulating plasma. Here, we describe that intervention with low levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs, about 2.5% of digestible energy, en%) resulted in no more than a small reduction in coagulation factors, when supplied as part of a high-fat diet relatively rich in vitamin K. Plasma triglycerides also remained unchanged. On the other hand, when feeding rats with low- or high-fat diets restricted in vitamin K, intervention with 3 en% of n-3 PUFAs acids (fish oil) caused only a lowering in triglycerides in combination with high fat. The fish caused a reduction in coagulation potential and levels vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors (prothrombin and factor VII) that was most prominent with the low-fat diet. Fish oil, in combination with low fat but not with high fat, reduced the vitamin K levels in the liver of the animals. In addition, regardless of the fat content, the vitamin K-independent coagulation factor V was decreased in the fish oil groups. Taken together, these results indicate that, in the rat, the hypocoagulant effect of a low dose of n-3 PUFAs is most apparent at low intakes of both vitamin K and fat, is not linked to the triglyceride plasma level, but involves modulation of both vitamin K-dependent and -independent coagulation factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, Maastricht 6200 MD, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nieuwenhuys
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Feijge
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vermeer
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Hennissen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Béguin
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Heemskerk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification; D008297:Male; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D008055:Lipids; D014812:Vitamin K; D011516:Prothrombin