Effects of vitamin A on mucopolysaccharides of rat blood platelets

Abstract

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given vitamin-A orally or fed a vitamin A-deficient diet, a standard laboratory diet or a vitamin A-deficient diet with vitamin-A added. Analysis of blood platelet sizes showed that platelets from vitamin-A-deficient rats were larger and platelets from vitamin-A-treated rats were smaller than those of a normal population. Platelets from vitamin-A-excess rats incorporated from 40 to 100% more S35 per platelet than did control platelets. The larger platelets from the vitamin-A-deficient rats also had an increased S35 uptake (about 18%) as compared to the smaller control platelets. Vitamin-A deficiency decreased hexosamine content of platelets by 27% and vitamin-A treatment increased hexosamine content by 26% as compared to controls. The percent composition of S35-labeled mucopolysaccharides (MPS) from normal rat platelets was about 58% chondroitin sulfate (ChS) A; 6%, ChS B; 17%, ChS C; and 13.5%, heparin. Platelets from vitamin-A-treated rats had greater adhesive qualities than normal platelets. Rat blood platelets contained significantly more MPS as a result of vitamin-A-treatment, and less MPS from deficiency.