It was found that vitamin K has a strong inhibitory effect on ferroptosis (lipid oxidation cell death).An international joint research group between Tohoku University and the Helmholtz Center Munich in Germany identified it.
Ferroptosis is one of the types of cell death newly proposed in 2012. In recent years, it has been used as an anticancer drug against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, organ damage during ischemia-reperfusion, and cancer cells. It has been clarified that it is involved in the susceptibility ofIt is expected to be the target of therapeutic drugs for these diseases, and is one of the life events that are attracting worldwide attention.
While searching for a vitamin compound that suppresses ferroptosis, this research group found that not only vitamin E, which has been known as an antioxidant substance in the body that suppresses ferroptosis, but also vitamin K. It was found that it has an action to suppress thosis.In particular, vitamin K2 (menaquinone-4) was effective at lower concentrations than vitamin E, and administration of it to mice with ferroptosis-induced liver and kidney damage alleviated organ damage.
As for the mechanism by which vitamin K prevents ferroptosis, it was clarified that the reduced form of vitamin K acts as a strong antioxidant, thereby suppressing lipid oxidation.At the same time, the enzyme that reduces vitamin K was found to be FSP10, which has been known as a coenzyme Q1 reductase.The identity of the enzyme that reduces vitamin K has been unknown for 50 years, so the identification of this enzyme is also an important discovery.
The results of this research are expected to lead to the development and application of new therapeutic agents for various ferroptosis-related diseases based on the action of vitamin K to prevent ferroptosis.
Paper information:[Nature] A non-canonical vitamin K cycle is a potent ferroptosis suppressor
