title: The effects of PPAR-gamma ligand pioglitazone on platelet aggregation and arterial thrombus formation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been suggested that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma ligands reduce the development of atherosclerosis and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury; both of these phenomena are associated with platelet activation. We postulated that PPAR-gamma activation would inhibit platelet activation and intra-arterial thrombus formation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sprague-Dawley rats were fed chow mixed with pioglitazone (1 or 10 mg/kg/day) for 7 to 10 days. A filter soaked in 30% FeCl(3) was applied around the abdominal aorta to study the patterns of arterial thrombogenesis. The aortic blood flow was continuously monitored using an ultrasonic Doppler flow probe. ADP and arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation and the expression of constitutive nitric oxide synthase (cNOS) and thrombomodulin in aorta were measured. Pioglitazone feeding delayed the time to occlusive thrombus formation by 40% (P<0.01 vs. control, n=9) without affecting the weight of the thrombus. ADP- as well as arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation was also inhibited by pioglitazone feeding (P<0.01 vs. control, n=9). Pioglitazone feeding also upregulated the aortic expression of cNOS and thrombomodulin; both are considered important factors in platelet aggregation and thrombus formation in vivo. The effect of a high dose (10 mg/kg/day) of pioglitazone was not more potent than that of a low dose (1 mg/kg/day).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that pioglitazone administration decreases platelet aggregation and delays intra-arterial thrombus formation in rats, at least partially, by an increase in the expression of cNOS and thrombomodulin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR, United States.
authors.forename: Dayuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Xingjiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Anjan K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.forename: Jawahar L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008024:Ligands; D047495:PPAR gamma; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D018180:Thrombomodulin; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000077205:Pioglitazone