Effect of the amount and type of dietary fat on platelet function, platelet survival and response to continuous aortic injury in rats

The effect of giving diets containing 1.5 or 16% safflower or corn oil or 16% milk fat for 15 weeks on changes in the fatty acid composition of platelet phospholipids, in vitro platelet function, platelet survival and thrombosis was examined in rats. The mean plasma cholesterol concentration was not different among the groups. Diets containing 1.5% safflower or corn oil or 16% milk fat were associated with a decrease in 18:2n - 6 and an increase in 18:1n - 9 and the 20:4n - 6/18:2n - 6 ratio in the platelet phospholipids compared with the 16% safflower or corn oil diets. The 16% milk fat diet was associated with an increase in 14:0, 20:3n - 9, 22:3n - 9 and a decrease in 22:4n - 6 in platelet phospholipids compared with the other groups. There were no differences among the groups in the sensitivity of washed platelets to ADP-, thrombin- or collagen-induced aggregation, or thrombin- or collagen-induced release of granule contents or loss of arachidonate from platelet phospholipids. Platelet survival and turnover in rats given the diets were not different among the groups. In response to indwelling aortic catheters neither the percentage reduction in platelet survival nor the platelet accumulation on injured aortae and catheters were different among the groups. No macroscopic thrombi were seen in rats given any of the diets. The results of these studies provide no evidence that diet-induced alterations in fatty acid content (increases in 18:1n - 9, 20:3n - 9, 22:3n - 9, 20:3n - 6, and 20:4n - 6/18:2n - 6 ratio and a decrease in 22:4n - 6) of platelet phospholipids modify in vitro platelet function, platelet survival or turnover or influence thrombosis in rats.