Effect of membrane cholesterol on phospholipid metabolism in thrombin-stimulated platelets. Enhanced activation of platelet phospholipase(s) for liberation of arachidonic acid.

The cholesterol to phospholipid mole ratio (C/PL) of human platelets was increased 1.3-fold or maintained at a normal value by incubating platelets with sonicated dispersions of cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine (PC) (C/PL = 3 or 1, respectively). Thrombin-induced mobilization of [3H]arachidonic acid from prelabeled phospholipids and subsequent formation of labeled cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase products were increased in cholesterol-enriched platelets as a function of thrombin concentration. Elevated platelet cholesterol content affected thrombin-induced changes in platelet phospholipids: (a) hydrolysis of PC was more sensitive to thrombin and was markedly enhanced over a wide range of thrombin concentrations (0.1-2 units/ml); (b) hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol (PI) was increased at thrombin concentrations greater than or equal to 0.2 unit/ml. Increased metabolism of [3H]arachidonic acid in stimulated cholesterol-enriched platelets was due to loss of [3H]arachidonate from PC at 0.1 unit/ml of thrombin. At higher thrombin concentrations (0.2-2 units/ml) it reflected enhanced hydrolysis of predominantly PC, but also PI. We conclude that cholesterol, possibly through its effect on platelet lipid organization, influences arachidonic acid metabolism in stimulated plates by promoting enhanced activity of platelet phospholipase(s) for liberation of arachidonic acid.