OLIVE OILS AND HEALTH 162 by EVOO minor components. Thus, olive oil, through its high monounsaturated fatty acid and minor compound content, reduced platelet activation and aggregation. The generation of an antithrombotic environment could therefore protect blood vessels from occlusion. 13.3. Blood clot formation and the effect of olive oil on coagulation In secondary haemostasis the blood clot is formed. Endothelial cells produce thrombin which converts fibrinogen to fibrin, a non water-soluble molecule. Fibrin threads intertwine forming a net and trap platelets. Factor VII (FVII) starts the coagulation cascade after its union with the tissue factor. Measurements of FVII activity can be done directly for activated FVII or through its coagulant activity. In a study performed at the ‘Royal University of Denmark’, an EVOO-rich diet for three weeks reduced FVII activation when compared to a sunflower oil-rich one. Data from our group showed that a saturated fatty acid-rich diet increased FVII levels when compared to a monounsaturated fatty acid-rich one from EVOO. In another study, we have also reported a reduction of activated FVII levels after 4 weeks of a monounsaturated fatty acid-rich diet from olive oil when compared to a saturated fatty acid-rich one in 16 healthy volunteers. The tissue factor (TF) is a protein located in cell membranes such as those of vascular wall fibroblasts or monocytes. When a blood vessel breaks, for instance because of a wound, TF from fibroblasts activates FVII and triggers the coagulation cascade by the extrinsic pathway converting the primary clot (thrombus), associated with the initiation and formation of the platelet plug, into a secondary one. It has been demonstrated that the quantity and quality of dietary fatty acids influence TF expression in monocytes: saturated fatty acids increase TF; polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as those present in blue fish and nuts, inhibit it; and monounsaturated fatty acid from EVOO reduces its expression. Thus, olive oil consumption promotes a decrease in processes associated with clot formation in blood vessels. In another study, supplementation with 50g/week EVOO reduced TF postprandial levels. The postprandial state occurs after ingesting a meal and lasts until the total clearance of the ingested lipids, usually from 4 to 8 hours. Thus, TF reduction promoted by EVOO reduced the probability of clot formation, due to lipid accumulation, during the postprandial state. We have reported a decrease in the TF pathway inhibitor after the isocaloric replacement of a palm oil-rich diet and a low-fat one with a Mediterranean diet. The interpretation of the decrease in plasma TFPI levels may be challenging. However, previous studies
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Njg1MjYx