The Effect of Dietary Cholesterol on Platelet Survival in the Rabbit – A Study Using ¹⁴C-Serotonin and ⁵¹Chromium Double-Labelled Platelets

Summary

Hypercholesterolemic men and monkeys have shortened platelet survival but attempts to demonstrate this in rabbits have been unsuccessful. The present study examines platelet survival in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Platelets were double-labelled in vitro with ⁵¹Cr and ¹⁴C-serotonin or in vivo by intravenous injection of ¹⁴C-serotonin.

In the double-label experiments ⁵¹Cr survival was always shorter than ¹⁴C survival but changes in survival of one label were accompanied by similar changes in the other label. Survival was shortened after 4 and 7 weeks of cholesterol feeding. This was demonstrated when the donor platelets were from normal rabbits for both cholesterol and control recipients but no shortening was demonstrated when cholesterol-rich platelets were injected into cholesterol-fed recipients and normal platelets were injected into the control rabbits. When ¹⁴C-serotonin was injected intravenously ¹⁴C survival was the same as when platelets were labelled ex vivo prior to injection and ¹⁴C survival was shortened in rabbits fed cholesterol for 1,2, and 6 weeks.

These results indicate that cholesterol-feeding shortens platelet survival. This effect may be masked if the test platelets are not identical in both test and control groups.

Keywords

Cholesterol - Rabbits - Platelet survival - Serotonin and chromium labelling

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