CYCLOOXYGENASE AND LIPOXYGENASE PRODUCTS SYNERGISTICALLY MODULATE TUMOR CELL INDUCED PLATELET AGGREGATION

Abstract

There has been considerable controversy surrounding the ability of inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism to concomitantly inhibit tumor cell induced platelet aggregation (TCIPA). Reconciliation of this controversy has been difficult due to the wide variability of experimental conditions (e.g., inhibitor concentration, strength of the inducing agonist).In the present study, we examined the effects of several cyclooxygenaseand lipoxygenase inhibitors on the induction of platelet aggregation by Walker 256 carcinosarcoma (W256) cells. We have previously demonstrated that aggregation of platelet rich plasma (PRP), induced by W256 cells, was initiated via a thrombin dependent mechanism. Platelet aggregation was induced by the addition of W256 cells (75,000-J500,000 cells/cuvette) to rat PRP preincubated with inhibitor(s) or diluent. The strength of the inducing stimulus affected both the degree of aggregation and the production of thromboxane A2 (TXA2) in a dose dependent manner. A weak stimulus (low concentration of W256 cells) produced only a low level of aggregation and low TXA2 production, whereas aggregation induced by a strong stimulus (high concentration of W256 cells) resulted in significant aggregation and increased TXA2 production. Preincubation (5 min., 37°C) of rat PRP with cyclooxygenase inhibitors (e.g., aspirin, indomethacin, ibuprofen) resulted in complete inhibition of platelet aggregation at low agonist concentration (75,000 W256 cells), whereas when a high agonist concentration (500,000 W256 cells) was used to induce aggregation, the inhibitors failed to inhibit TCIPA. The addition of fewer than 50,000W256 cells failed to induce any measurable platelet aggregation in the presence or absence of inhibitors. TCIPA was not affected by lipoxygenaseinhibitors (e.g.,quercetin) alone regardless of agonist concentration. Both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase inhibitors, however, were required to significantly inhibit TCIPA induced by high agonist concentration. Compounds which inhibited both the cycloogygenase and lipoxygenase pathways (e.g.,hydroquinone, BW755c) inhibited TCIPA at all agonist concentrations. Nafazatrom failed to inhibit TCIPA consistant with a lack of effect on platelet cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase. Therefore, we conclude cyclooxygenase (e.g., TXA2) and lipoxygenase (e.g., 12-HETE) products of platelet arachidonic acid metabolism and the strength of the inducingagonist are important criteria in TCIPA. This study may help to clarify the current controversy regarding the inhibition of TCIPA by inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism.