Platelets during alimentary hyperlipaemia induced by cream and cod liver oil

Healthy male subjects were given 100 g lipids as cream or cod liver oil. They were examined before and during alimentary hyperlipaemia. Cream increased platelet coagulant activity in plasma and reduced it in washed platelets. Both meals increased platelet sensitivity to thrombin and collagen. Cod liver oil reduced the uptake of arachidonic acid (AA) in platelets. Washed platelets prelabelled with [14C]-AA increased radioactivity 10-fold in free fatty acids (FFA) by exposure to thrombin [2 U (109 platelets)-1] for 20 s. This increase was augmented by cod liver oil. Phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine were the most significant donors of AA during thrombin stimulation. By exposure of prelabelled washed platelets to thrombin [0·3 U (109 platelets)-1] for 4 min the percentage distribution of [14C]-AA increased after cod liver oil in FFA plus the products of AA metabolism formed by the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways. This study indicates that intake of a meal rich in lipids induces acute disturbances in platelets that may favour thrombosis. These effects were observed after intake of both saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.