Generation of prostacyclin-like substance and lipid peroxidation in vitamin E-deficient rats.

Endogenous generation of prostacyclin (PGI2)-like substance and lipid peroxidation were studied in the aorta of rats fed on vitamin E-deficient diet and/or vitamin E-supplemented one for 4 to 10 months after they were weaned at 4 weeks. PGI2-like substance was produced by the incubation of the aortic ring in pH 9.0 borate-buffered saline and was estimated by comparison of its antiaggregatory activity with that produced by known amounts of synthetic PGI2. Thiobarbituric acid-reacting substance (TBARS) was determined as an indicator of lipid peroxidation. The generation of PGI2-like substance was significantly reduced in rats fed on vitamin E-deficient diet for 8 and 10 months as compared with that in the animals fed on vitamin E-supplemented one for the same period (p less than 0.001). Mean concentration of TBARS in the aortae of rats fed on vitamin E-deficient diet for 10 months was significantly higher than that of the animals fed on vitamin E-supplemented diet for the same feeding period (p less than 0.001). These alterations in the aortae of rats fed on vitamin E-deficient diet were corrected by feeding them on vitamin E-supplemented diet for subsequent 2 months.