Vitamin K and diabetes: a promising discovery

New research conducted by a team from the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) suggests that an increased intake of vitamin K reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). "The scientific literature has highlighted an association between vitamin K and the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Our research shows a causal link: a deficiency in vitamin K can be harmful for T2D," says Dr. Mathieu Ferron who directs the IRCM molecular physiology research unit. "Vitamin K is not the only spring, but it is an important contributor." A micronutrient present in the diet, vitamin K has long been known to play a role in blood clotting. “Coagulation factors are present in the plasma, ready to be activated if needed. These factors are then modified by the gamma-carboxylation process, an enzymatic reaction that requires vitamin K,” explains Dr. Ferron, who is also an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Montreal. Read: One in three diabetics found to have undetected heart disease His team first established that the presence of gamma-carboxylase enzymes, which use vitamin K as a coenzyme, was very high in the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans which secrete insulin. “We know that a defect in insulin secretion is the basis of diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the beta cells disappear, whereas in type 2 diabetes, they are out of control. We therefore sought to understand the cellular mechanism that allows vitamin K to maintain the functioning of beta cells,” says Dr. Ferron. By working on genetically modified mice that were made prediabetic, the Montreal researchers identified a new protein dependent on vitamin K, which they called ERGP. Their study, recently published in Cell Reports shows that this protein is actively involved in controlling calcium levels in beta cells. Read: New guidelines on type 2 diabetes remission “The oscillation of calcium in the beta cells causes the production of insulin. However, it must be kept at an acceptable level, because if it is too high, it disrupts insulin secretion and, in the long run, this can stress the beta cells and cause them to die,” says Dr. Ferron. Ultimately, his team provides proof that vitamin K, via the gamma-carboxylation process, is crucial for the ERGP protein to fully play its role. Multiple applications to study Ultimately, their discovery could pave the way for new therapeutic avenues to prevent T2DM, the most common form of diabetes that affects 90% of the 1.2 million diabetics in Quebec, according to Diabetes Quebec. "In the immediate term, we plan to test the therapeutic potential of high doses of vitamin K in animals," says Dr. Ferron, who is planning clinical trials on humans in a second phase. Beyond its application to the prevention of type 2 diabetes, the researcher wonders whether the ERGP protein might not also be involved in the weakening of bones. “We know that there is a lot of carboxylation at this level. There is therefore a possible association between the risk of fracture and vitamin K," he says, also referring to a study project on the potential of this vitamin in the treatment of liver cancer. Indeed, several studies suggest that vitamin K reduces its recurrence and increases the survival of patients who suffer from it. This article has been translated from its original French and first appeared on our sister site Profession Santé.

Vitamin K and diabetes: a promising discovery

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