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.