N-6 and N-3 Fatty Acids in Plasma and Platelet Lipids, and Generation of Inositol Phosphates by Stimulated Platelets after Dietary Manipulations in the Rabbit

Abstract

Dietary fatty acids modify the fatty acid composition of plasma and tissue lipids, and these changes appear, in turn, to modulate biochemical and functional parameters in various biological compartments. Modifications of the amounts and proportions of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the diet, for instance, influence the levels of plasma cholesterol and affect the aggregation of platelets (see Goodnight et al., 1982 for a review), possibly through modifications of the eicosanoid cascade (Galli et al.,1981). More specifically, the administration of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n−3 series, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n−3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n−3) results in quantitative and qualitative changes of eicosanoid production (Fischer and Weber, 1983), following the accumulation of this fatty acid in cell lipid pools (Siess et al.,1980). This effect reduces blood platelet-vessel wall interactions and the thrombotic potential.