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The effect of short-term diets rich in fish, red meat, or white meat on thromboxane and prostacyclin synthesis in humans

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Lipids

Abstract

Foods which increase tissue arachidonic acid levels have been proposed to increase thrombosis tendency, presumably through increased platelet aggregation. This study examined the effect of doubling the dietary arachidonic acid (20∶4n−6) using meat- or fish-based diets on the systemic production of prostacyclin (PGl2) and thromboxane (TXA2) in 29 healthy, nonsmoking adults. There were three, 3-wk low-fat dietary periods (<15% energy as fat) in which subjects consumed a vegetarian diet for 1 wk followed by 2 wk on diets containing meat or fish as sources of 20∶4n−6. Between each diet period, there was a 3-wk washout period, during which subjects returned to their normal diets. The level of 20∶4n−6 consumed during the last 2 wk of each study was approximately double the usual intake (mean 140 mg/d), while the mean eicosapentaenoic acid (20∶5n−3) content of the diets varied from 1 mg/d on the white meat diet to 70 mg/d on the red meat diet and to 847 mg/d on the fish diet. The serum phospholipid (PL) 20∶4n−6/20∶5n−3 ratios were 11∶1 on the vegetarian diet, 15∶1 on the white meat diet, 8∶1 on the red meat diet, and 2∶1 on the fish diet (P<0.001). Neither white nor red meat diets affected platelet 20∶4n−6 levels, platelet aggregation, ex vivo platelet TXB2 production, or the systemic PGl2 or TXA2 production as measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the excretion levels of the principal urinary metabolites 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α (PGl2-M) and 11-dehydro-TXB2 (TXA2-M), respectively. The fish diet decreased the 20∶4n−6/20∶5n−3 ratio in platelet PL from the baseline level of 45∶1 to 13∶1 (P<0.001), had no effects on platelet aggregation, but significantly decreased platelet TXB2, production (collagen-stimulated) and TXA2-M production, while PGl2-M levels were unaltered. These results indicate that short-term diets which double the usual 20∶4n−6 intake using white meat (175–330 g/d) or red meat (275–530 g/d) are not associated with an increased TXA2 production, but this does not rule out the adverse effects of 20∶4n−6 at higher levels in the diet, or for more prolonged periods. Short-term diets containing fish (100–200 g/d with 90–210 mg/d 20∶4n−6 and approximately 650–1000 mg/d 20∶5n−3) led to significant increases in platelet 20∶5n−3 levels and a decrease in the ex vivo and systemic TXA2 production.

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Abbreviations

20∶4n−6:

Arachidonic acid

DHA:

docosahexaenoic acid (22∶6n−3)

LA:

linoleic acid

LC:

long-chain

PAP:

platelet adjusted plasma

PEG:

polyethylene glycol

PGI2 :

prostacyclin

PGl2-M:

2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α

PL:

phospholipid

PPP:

platelet-poor plasma

PRP:

platelet-rich plasma

P/S:

polyunsaturated/saturated

PUFA:

polyunsaturated fatty acid

TXA2-M:

11-dehydro-TXB2

TXA2 :

thromboxane A2

TXB2 :

thromboxane B2

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nutrition and Public Health, Deakin University, 3217, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

    Neil Mann, Marita Pille & Glenda Warrick

  2. Department of Food Science, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, 3000, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Andrew Sinclair & Leeann Johnson

  3. Institut für Prophylaxe und Epidemiologie der Kreislaufkrankheiten, Ludwig Maximilians Universität, 80336, München, Germany

    Elke Reder & Reinhard Lorenz

Authors
  1. Neil Mann
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  2. Andrew Sinclair
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  3. Marita Pille
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  5. Glenda Warrick
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  6. Elke Reder
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  7. Reinhard Lorenz
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Correspondence to Neil Mann.

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Mann, N., Sinclair, A., Pille, M. et al. The effect of short-term diets rich in fish, red meat, or white meat on thromboxane and prostacyclin synthesis in humans. Lipids 32, 635–644 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-997-0081-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-997-0081-5

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