Exposure of platelets to exogenous arachidonic acid results in aggregation and secretion, which are inhibited at high arachidonate concentrations. The mechanisms for this have not been elucidated fully. In our studies in platelet suspensions, peak aggregation and secretion occurred at 2-5 microM-sodium arachidonate, with complete inhibition around 25 microM. 2. In platelets loaded with quin2 or fura-2, the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+]i, rose in the presence of 1 mM-CaCl2 from 60-80 nM to 300-500 nM at 2-5 microM-arachidonate, followed by inhibition to basal values at 25-50 microM. Thromboxane production was not inhibited at 25 microM-arachidonate. Cyclic AMP increased in the presence of theophylline, from 3.5 pmol/10(8) platelets in unexposed platelets to 8 pmol/10(8) platelets at 50 microM-arachidonate; all platelet responses were inhibited with doubling of cyclic AMP contents. 3. The adenylate cyclase inhibitor 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine attenuated the inhibitory effect of arachidonate, suggesting that it is mediated by increased platelet cyclic AMP and that it is unlikely to be due to irreversible damage to platelets. 4. Aspirin or the combined lipoxygenase/cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor BW 755C did not prevent the inhibition by arachidonate of either [Ca2+]i signals or aggregation induced by U46619. 5. Thus high arachidonate concentrations inhibit Ca2+ mobilization in platelets, and this is mediated by stimulation of adenylate cyclase. High arachidonate concentrations influence platelet responses by modulating intracellular concentrations of two key messenger molecules, cyclic AMP and Ca2+.
