Interrelation of Platelet Vitamin E and Thromboxane Synthesis in Type I Diabetes Mellitus

Platelet vitamin E content and thromboxane A₂ (TxA₂) synthesis have been investigated in type I diabetic subjects and age- and sex-matched controls. Platelets, but not plasma, from diabetic subjects contained significantly lower vitamin E levels and synthesized significantly greater amounts of TxA₂ when challenged with collagen or thrombin than platelets from control subjects. Conversion of exogenously added arachidonic acid to TxA₂ was unaltered between platelets from control and diabetic groups. Platelet vitamin E content from control and diabetic groups combined exhibited a significant negative linear correlation with collagen- and thrombin-induced TxA₂ production. These data suggest that low platelet vitamin E levels could be a contributing factor to the increased thromboxane synthesis demonstrated by platelets from the above type I diabetic subjects.