Effects of clofibrate and 6-substituted chroman analogs on human platelet function:: Mechanism of inhibitory action

The effects of cloflbrate (CPIB) and two related cyclic analogs, 6-chlorochroman-2-carboxylic acid (CCCA) and 6-phenylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (PCCA), on human platelet function were evaluated. CPIB, CCCA and PCCA all inhibited platelet activation, i.e. aggregation and secretion of [¹⁴C]serotonin induced by ADP, epinephrine, collagen and thrombin, in a concentration-dependent manner. PCCA was at least fifty-two times more effective as an inhibitor of ADP-, epinephrine- and collagen-induced platelet activation and only 2-fold more effective as an inhibitor of thrombin-induced platelet activation when compared with CPIB or CCCA. Only PCCA inhibited platelet aggregation and [¹⁴C]serotonin secretion induced by arachidonic acid (AA) in a concentration-dependent manner. CPIB and CCCA did not inhibit AA-induced platelet activation. In fact, both of these agents had a potentiating effect on the onset of platelet aggregation by AA. All three compounds inhibited thrombin-induced release of [³H]arachidonic acid ([³H]AA) from platelet phospholipids and thrombin-mediated malondialdehyde (MDA) production. Only PCCA, however, inhibited AA-induced MDA production. These results indicate that CPIB, CCCA and PCCA all inhibit platelet activation by inhibiting prostaglandin biosynthesis. PCCA blocked AA-induced platelet activation, and this additional inhibitory action of PCCA appears to be responsible for its comparatively higher inhibitory potency. A comparison of the structure-activity relationship of the inhibitors indicated that replacement of the chloro group by a phenyl group produced a compound (PCCA) that was a potent inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis and was thereby a more effective antiaggregatory agent than either CPIB or CCCA.