Role of 12-LOX in the Platelet Storage Lesion

Background: 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) is an enzyme abundant in platelets which can contribute to the platelet storage lesion by oxidizing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) released from phospholipid membranes. We and others have shown that the PUFA arachidonic acid (AA) and its lipid oxidation products, such as 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE), accumulate during storage and have inhibitory effects on platelet recovery, survival, and function. However, several PUFAs are substrates for 12-LOX, and their resulting oxylipins may have different effects. We used targeted metabolomics to quantify PUFAs and oxylipins and platelet function assays to characterize function of fresh and stored wild-type (WT) and 12-LOX -/- platelets.