Experimental coronary artery thrombosis in the absence of thromboxane A2 synthesis: evidence for alternate pathways for coronary thrombosis.
The actions of the thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, U-63557A, were evaluated in vivo in anesthetized open-chest dogs by inducing left circumflex coronary artery (LCCA) thrombosis with low amperage electrical stimulation (100 microA for 6 h) of the intimal surface of the vessel, and ex vivo by assessing platelet aggregation and TXB2 production. U-63557A, 10 mg/kg + 5 mg/kg/h i.v., reduced ex vivo platelet aggregation in response to arachidonic acid (0.65 mM) by 93 +/- 2% (p less than 0.05, means +/- SEM), whereas the concurrent formation of TXB2 was decreased by 78 +/- 8% (p less than 0.05). TXB2 concentration also was reduced significantly in vivo as measured from coronary sinus blood samples; however, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha concentration was unchanged from predrug values. Despite the significant inhibition of platelet aggregation and TXB2 production, thrombus mass was not reduced: control, 32.0 +/- 5.9 mg (n = 7); U-63557A, 30.8 +/- 12.0 mg (n = 5, p = NS). These results suggest that U-63557A effectively inhibits TXA2 synthetase, but lacks antithrombotic activity in our experimental model. Therefore, substances other than TXA2 may be capable of mediating occlusive coronary artery thrombosis.