Platelets from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) show severe hypofunctions accompanied by defective protein (P47) phosphorylation. To examine the mechanism of platelet hypofunctions, phospholipid metabolism in SHRSP was compared with that in Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). Phosphatidylinositol (PI) content was 20% less in SHRSP than in WKY, but no changes were observed in other phospholipids. Incorporation of [3H]-arachidonic acid (AA) into PI and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was 12% and 11% lower, and that into phosphatidylcholine (PC) was 6% higher in SHRSP than in WKY. Thrombin-induced diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid formation were similar in both groups of platelets. Thrombin-induced release of [14C]-AA from the labeled platelets and its metabolism to eicosanoids occurred at similar rates. These results suggest that reduced formation of diacylglycerol, an activator of protein kinase C (PKC), does not cause defective phosphorylation of P47, a substrate of PKC, in SHRSP. However it remains unclear how the lower PI content and the altered distribution of AA in PC and PE is related to SHRSP platelet hypofunctions.