Differential modulation of transforming growth factor-betas and cyclooxygenases in the platelet lysates of male F344 rats by dietary lipids and piroxicam.

Platelets are implicated in the pathogenesis of various chronic diseases including cancer. The main objective of the present study was to determine if dietary fish oil and piroxicam, known modulators of colon tumorigenesis, effect transforming growth factor (TGF)-betas and cyclooxygenase (COX) isozymes in the platelets of colon tumor-bearing male F344 rats. TGF-betas and COXs are important in the development of chronic illnesses including colon cancer. Animals harboring preneoplastic colonic lesions were randomly allocated to a low fat diet (5% by weight--low corn oil, LFC) and three high fat diets (23% by weight--high corn oil, HFC; high corn oil containing 150-ppm piroxicam, HFC+P; and high fish oil, HFF) for 16 weeks. TGF-beta1, TGF-beta2, COX-1 and COX-2 protein levels were assessed in the platelets by Western blot analysis. Active TGF-beta1 (12.5 kDa) level was significantly lower in the platelets of the HFC+P group (p < 0.001), whereas precursor TGF-beta1 (39 kDa) level was significantly lower in the platelets of the HFF group (p < 0.001). The anti-rabbit TGF-beta2 polyclonal antibody did not detect the 13-kDa active TGF-beta2 protein in the platelets. However a 29-kDa protein, potentially a precursor of TGF-beta2, was detected in the platelets of all the groups and was significantly lower in the HFC+P and HFF groups than in LFC and HFC (p < 0.001). COX-1 level was significantly lower in the HFF group than the other three groups (p < 0.001). COX-2 protein was detected in the platelets of all diet groups. Piroxicam in the presence of high corn oil (HFC+P) significantly lowered the level of COX-2 (p < 0.001), without having any effect on COX-1 level. These findings conclusively show that LFC and HFC differ from HFF and HFC+P, and piroxicam differs from fish oil, in regulating the levels of TGF-betas and COX in the platelets. This supports the conjecture that the levels of bioactive constituents of the platelets are profoundly modulated by dietary lipids, which in turn could influence the pathogenesis of chronic illnesses.