Toxoplasma gondii stimulates the release of 13- and 9-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acids by human platelets.

We have recently demonstrated a novel cytotoxic effect of human platelets against Toxoplasma gondii and a role for thromboxane (TX) in this process (Yong et al., 1991). We now report on the spectrum of lipid mediators released by human platelets after interaction with T. gondii. In addition to TXB2, human platelets after incubation with T. gondii for 90 min released 12-hydroxyheptadecatrienoic acid (12-HHT), 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE), and an unidentified peak (UVmax 234 nm) as determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Thermospray-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis and straight-phase HPLC identified the unknown peak as a mixture of 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (HODE) and 9-HODE. Radiolabeling studies with [14C]linoleic acid indicated that the platelets were the cellular source of the octadecanoids with 13-HODE (87.7%) greater than 9-HODE (12.3%). Inhibitor studies with indomethacin indicated that 13-HODE was a lipoxygenase product and 9-HODE was a cyclooxygenase product of linoleic acid. Thus, Toxoplasma-stimulated platelets release oxygenated products of both arachidonic acid and linoleic acid which may be important in the host response to T. gondii infection.