Vitamin K prevents cell death: A new function for a long-known molecule

Phys.org ^ | 8/3/2022 | Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres

[LibWhacker]

A team of researchers located at Helmholtz Munich reports on a novel function of vitamin K, which is generally known for its importance in blood clotting. The researchers discovered that the fully reduced form of vitamin K acts as an antioxidant efficiently inhibiting ferroptotic cell death. Ferroptosis is a natural form of cell death in which cellular iron plays an important role and which is characterized by the oxidative destruction of cellular membranes. In addition, the team identified FSP1 as the warfarin-insensitive enzyme reducing vitamin K, the identity of which had been postulated but remained unknown for more than half a century.

During the last years, ferroptosis has been implicated as a driver of Alzheimer's disease and acute organ injuries among many other diseases. Thus, the present findings put forward the concept that vitamin K treatment might be a new powerful strategy to ameliorate these ferroptosis-related diseases.

Vitamin K is a potent ferroptosis suppressor

Since ferroptosis prevention is considered a highly promising approach for the therapy of many degenerative diseases, new mechanisms and compounds regulating ferroptosis are extensively being explored. To identify these new molecules, a team of researchers led by Dr. Eikan Mishima and Dr. Marcus Conrad, both from the Institute of Metabolism and Cell Death at Helmholtz Munich, along with collaborators from Tohoku University (Japan), University of Ottawa (Canada) and Technical University of Dresden (Germany), systematically studied a number of naturally occurring vitamins, as well as their derivatives. "Surprisingly, we identified that vitamin K, including phylloquinone (vitamin K1) and menaquinone-4 (vitamin K2), is able to efficiently rescue cells and tissues from undergoing ferroptosis," Dr. Eikan Mishima, first author of the study explained.

Unraveling the long sought-after vitamin K reducing enzyme FSP1

In 2019 a team of researchers around Dr. Marcus Conrad already identified an enzyme as a novel and strong inhibitor of ferroptosis: ferroptosis suppressor protein-1, short FSP1. The research team now found that the fully reduced form of vitamin K (i.e., vitamin K hydroquinone) acts as a strong lipophilic antioxidant and prevents ferroptosis by trapping oxygen radicals in lipid bilayers. In addition, they identified that FSP1 is the enzyme that efficiently reduces vitamin K to vitamin K hydroquinone, thereby driving a novel non-canonical vitamin K cycle. Since vitamin K is critically involved in blood clotting processes, the team further showed that FSP1 is responsible for the vitamin K-reduction pathway insensitive against warfarin, one of the most commonly prescribed anticoagulants.

Breakthrough in understanding vitamin K metabolism

Unraveling the identity of this enzyme solved the last riddle of vitamin K metabolism in blood clotting and elucidated the molecular mechanism of why vitamin K constitutes the antidote for overdosing of warfarin. "Our results therefore link the two worlds of ferroptosis research and vitamin K biology. They will serve as the stepping stone for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for diseases where ferroptosis has been implicated," Dr. Marcus Conrad highlighted. In addition, since ferroptosis most likely constitutes one of the oldest types of cell death, the researchers hypothesize that vitamin K might be one of the most ancient types of naturally occurring antioxidants. "Thus, new aspects of the role of vitamin K throughout the evolution of life are expected to be unveiled," Dr. Marcus Conrad explained.

The research was published in Nature.

[dennisw]

You would be surprised how many people are taking hi-dose D3. Here is an Amazon review>>
__________

M.J. Freeman
5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff!
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
My husband and I are 71 and healthy. We got Covid in Nov. and thankfully weren’t very sick. But I thought we should start taking vitamin D. We started with 5,000 in Nov, raised it to 10,000 in December. Didn’t notice any difference, then after reading a couple of books on Vitamin D I decided in Feb to raise it to 20,000/day (one of these pills, plus 2 D3 5,000 with K2).

Almost immediately my husband’s eczema, which he has had for decades, started clearing up. We were so surprised! In March I tested by stopping and after one week his eczema started up again so we went back on 20,000. I haven’t noticed any difference in myself, but we are so pleased with how it has helped him, and I know it’s good for me too. I tried 30,000 a couple of times but I didn’t feel right so dropped back. Everyone’s body is different so you’ll have to experiment.

Read a couple of books. It’s doubtful your doctor will know. My husband went to his dermatologist and asked him if he thought the vitamin D had helped his eczema. He answered, “probably not.” Then my husband asked him if he had read any of the studies on vitamin D. He replied, “No.” So it’s time to get a new doctor!
14 people found this helpful

[Carriage Hill]

LOL!

[entropy12]

Of course I should add my diet includes lots of fruits and vegetables (fresh, not pills), very little red meat and very few sugary items. I was border line diabetic in my 50’s and that 16 hour fasting helped cure that issue.

[Oystir]

Gets his info from the dubious Mercola

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I don't know about you, but my favorite sentence in that article was:

"Plasma membrane blebbing results from the caspase-mediated activation of gelsolin, an actin depolymerizing enzyme."

Very technical and a good practice in pronunciation. I read as far as the section on Necrosis with some understanding. (May look at necrosis later.)

Apotosis is mostly structured disassembly and recycling of cellular material so generally good. (What the body wants to do!)

Necrosis is inflammatory and bad. (What diseases and parasites do.)

We die a little every day, and hopefully our body is able to keep up with disposal and repair processes.

So....eat your greens and take your vitamin K or use natto!

Natto

[grey_whiskers]

You hade been 82 for the last two years, I would say your at least 84 or better by now.

Mr. Cruise Ship gets nailed. Thank you Captain Peter Blood.

[Boomer]

Thank you. :)

[Boomer]

Wow!!

[grey_whiskers]

Nattokinase and serrapeptase are good too.

[SamAdams76]

Posting your age doesn't bother me and I think it's good to mention it because it gives Freepers hope that they too can have a long healthy life with the right habits.

I'm quite a way behind you but nearing 60. I also have never had a prescription. I take daily walks (try to do 5 miles a day), eat healthy and get a lot of fresh air. I do take vitamin C, D and zinc supplements but that's it.

Never had the COVID either, even though many around me are coming down with it.

Appreciate the advice you and others give on these threads.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

GW; I use nattokinse instead of asprin. It appears to have more benefits than blood thinning!

[ConservativeMind]

Entropy12, your attitude is mine.

I am providing these study write-ups to give people the bleeding edge medical insights to be able to immediately make adjustments to optimize their health.

We have too many good people ailing in ways that are not necessary. You can resolve much back to a norm without pain or problems and live a much longer life.

[Georgia Girl 2]

We use NOW. I think you can get it on Amazon.

[Carriage Hill]

That’s a bunch, huh? I used to simply take a 325mg Bayer Aspirin, until 2017, when I got very sick and spent 7-8 weeks in York Hospital and PSU-Hershey Medical Center. More hospital time in 2018.

Co-morbidities:
1) Heart left ventricle (pumping at 55-60%; up from 20-25%),
2) Heart bundle blockage (5 stents),
3) Diabetes (Type 2, down from Type 1),
4) Hypertension (under control w/ Rx),
5) Weight (down from 265 to 165lbs),
6) COPD (under control w/ emergency inhaler),
7) Stage 2 Mild Kidney Disease (medication & diet controlled).

[entropy12]

If you are not already on a regular exercise program, nearing age 60 is perfect time to begin. I began playing many rounds of golf each week at age 60. I was retired already at 58.

Start out always easy. You are not preparing for olympics. Take a whole year to build up to 30 minutes 5 to 6 times every week. Regularity is the key, not how strenuous the exercise. After I reached age 75, I have to be very careful to not get injure anything. Healing is slower and slower with age. I gave up weight lifting (only 30 lb weights) because it would cause pain in back muscles. Main exercise for me now is treadmill with 1 lb wrist weights on each arm. I play my rhythmic music and swing arms around. I feel amazing! Best luck for your future health.

[Java4Jay]

Bump

[GenXFreedomFighter]

Bump

[TTFX]

Just take a multivitamin and cover all the bases.

- - - - - - -

Foods have more vitamin a than we need.

Taking a multivitamin makes vitamin a excess worse.

Excess vitamin a reduces vitamins c d k b1 and b6.

[TTFX]

Get your D3 tested. Shoot for 75 ng/ml. You get there by taking 10000 D3 daily. And it costs $2 less than last year. Or take one every other day to make it 5000 D3 daily
https://www.amazon.com/Carlyle-Vitamin-Softgels-Promotes-Supplement/dp/B07GRBQY5B

If I get to 90 ng/ml that’s OK with me. But my last test came in at 75

- - - - - - -

Vitamin d tests are inaccurate when people have more than 32
ng/ml.

There are accurate vitamin d tests people do in research labs. The vitamin d tests people do measure vitamin d and inactivated vitamin d.

A person had a vitamin d result of 55 ng/ml. He only had half of that. This information is in the article

Low Vitamin D Status despite Abundant Sun Exposure

on page 2133

[TTFX]

Sorry, that information is on page 2132, figure 4.