© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.
Thrombosis |
Long-Chain n-3 Fatty Acids Specifically Affect Rat Coagulation Factors Dependent on Vitamin K
Relation to Peroxidative Stress
From INSERM U.311, Etablissement Français du Sang-Alsace, Strasbourg, France.
Correspondence to C. Leray, INSERM U.311, Etablissement Français du Sang-Alsace, 10 rue Spielmann, 67065 Strasbourg Cédex, France. E-mail claude.leray{at}efs-alsace.fr
Abstract—Fatty
acids of marine origin have been shown to affect blood coagulation in
the rat. In an attempt to gain insight into the mechanisms of this
phenomenon, we studied the effects of dietary linseed and fish oils on
the liver antioxidant status and plasma coagulation
parameters in rats on a time-course basis. Dietary
enrichment in eicosapentaenoic and
docosahexaenoic acids resulted in strong hypocoagulation after only 1
week and a concomitant increase in liver lipid peroxidation and
tocopherolquinone content. Enrichment in linolenic
acid induced similar increases in lipid peroxidation and
tocopherol catabolism but negligible alteration of
coagulation. A significant correlation between plasma factor II
coagulant activity and liver tocopherolquinone was found in
fish oil– but not in linseed oil–fed rats. Although ingestion of
tocopherolquinone led to high levels of this compound in
the liver, it had only marginal effects on coagulation factors. Thus,
it seems unlikely that this vitamin E metabolite could be involved in
the lowering of vitamin K–dependent clotting factors through
inhibition of 
-glutamylcarboxylase. Rather, our results indicate
that the effects of the n-3 fatty acids of fish oil on vitamin
K–dependent coagulation factors are specific and independent of liver
tocopherolquinone levels.
Key Words: coagulation • fish oil • linseed oil • tocopherolquinone • vitamin E