A Canadian study observed that vitamin K could prevent the risk of developing diabetes.
- Vitamin K is composed of several molecules, which allow blood clotting.
- According to Canadian research, vitamin D may play a key role in the prevention of diabetes.
- The scientists believe their discovery could help develop new preventive treatments for diabetes.
Vitamin K promotes the production of proteins capable of regulating blood coagulation, particularly in gamma-carboxylation, an enzymatic reaction. In addition to its anti-hemorrhagic role, vitamin K could also prevent diabetes, according to a study published in the journal Cell Reports.
The protective role of vitamin K against diabetes
To reach this conclusion, researchers from the University of Montreal and the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal (Canada) first observed that the enzymes involved in gamma-carboxylation were also present in large quantities. in pancreatic beta cells. The latter are responsible for the production of insulin, which controls the level of sugar in the blood, in other words the glycemia.
“Diabetes is known to be caused by a reduction in the number of beta cells or their inability to produce enough insulin, hence our keen interest in this new discovery. In order to elucidate the cellular mechanism by which vitamin K maintains beta cell function, it was critical to determine which protein was targeted for gamma-carboxylation in these cells.”explained said Mathieu Ferron, author of the study and researcher in molecular biology.
Vitamin K and diabetes: a potential therapeutic avenue to explore
The Canadian team then identified a new gamma-carboxylated protein, called ERGP. This protein helps maintain physiological levels of calcium in beta cells, to prevent disruption of insulin secretion. “We then demonstrated that vitamin K, through gamma-carboxylation, is essential for the ERGP protein to play its role.”said Julie Lacombe, a student at the University of Montreal, who participated in this work. These initial results could lead to the development of new treatments to prevent diabetes, according to the study’s leaders.
