Influence of dietary fats on blood coagulation and prostaglandin production in the common marmoset.

Common marmosets were fed a standard marmoset diet (REF) or diets supplemented with 12% (wt/wt) sunflower seed oil (SSO) or sheep fat (SF) for a period of 90 weeks. The values for coagulation indices, clotting time, and Russel viper venom time were consistent with decreased thrombotic tendency of platelets from animals on the SSO diet relative to the low fat, REF diet animals, while an increased tendency to thrombosis was observed with SF-fed marmosets. The SSO- and SF-supplemented marmosets showed a significantly reduced thromboxane (TXB2) generation from platelets aggregating to collagen (ASC) relative to the REF group, while at 50 micrograms/ml ASC this difference was maintained only by the SSO group. The SF diet-fed marmosets showed a reduced prostacyclin (measured as 6-keto-PGF1 alpha) generation from incubated aorta relative to the REF or SSO-fed groups, which were not different from each other. A reduced proportion of platelet phospholipid arachidonic acid (20:4, n-6) and increased alpha-tocopherol concentration was consistent with the decreased aggregability and thromboxane generation of platelets from SSO-fed marmosets relative to the REF and SF groups. The SF diet-fed marmosets, on the other hand, showed minimal change in arachidonic acid, alpha-tocopherol or platelet reactivity from the REF group. These differing responses to dietary fats are discussed in relation to the potential for the development of thrombosis and atherosclerosis.