The aim of this study was to assess whether alfa-
tocopherol administration prevented alterations in the ectonucleotidase activities and
platelet aggregation induced by
high-fat diet in
rats. Thus, we examined four groups of
male rats which received standard
diet, high-fat diet (HFD), α-
tocopherol (α-
Toc), and
high-fat diet plus α-
tocopherol. HFD was administered ad libitum and α-
Toc by gavage using a
dose of 50 mg/kg. After 3 months of
treatment,
animals were submitted to
euthanasia, and
blood samples were collected for biochemical assays. Results demonstrate that NTPDase, ectonucleotide
pyrophosphatase/
phosphodiesterase, and
5'-nucleotidase activities were significantly decreased in
platelets of HFD group, while that
adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity was significantly increased in this group in comparison to the other groups (P < 0.05). When
rats that received HFD were treated with α-
Toc, the activities of these
enzymes were
similar to the control, but ADA activity was significantly increased in relation to the control and α-
Toc group (P < 0.05). HFD group showed an increased in
platelet aggregation in comparison to the other groups, and
treatment with α-
Toc significantly reduced
platelet aggregation in this group. These findings demonstrated that HFD alters
platelet aggregation and purinergic signaling in the
platelets and that
treatment with α-
Toc was capable of modulating the
adenine nucleotide hydrolysis in this experimental condition