In a groundbreaking achievement after 15 years of basic research, Canadian scientists from Universit de Montr al and its affiliated Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) have uncovered a new role for vitamin K and gamma-carboxylation in beta cells.

This discovery sheds light on the mechanisms underlying diabetes, a disease that affects approximately one in 11 individuals globally and currently has no cure.

Published on May 11 in Cell Reports, the study demonstrates how vitamin K plays a protective role in diabetes prevention, potentially leading to novel therapeutic applications for type 2 diabetes.

Vitamin K is a micronutrient that is known for its involvement in blood clotting, specifically in gamma-carboxylation, which is a crucial enzymatic reaction in the process.

For some time now, there has been speculation that this vitamin, and subsequently gamma-carboxylation, could serve additional purposes. Multiple studies have indicated a correlation between decreased vitamin K consumption and heightened diabetes risk. Nevertheless, the biological mechanisms through which vitamin K safeguards against diabetes have remained elusive until recently.

Mathieu Ferron, an associate research professor of medicine at UdeM, and his team at IRCM conducted a study where they discovered that the enzymes responsible for gamma-carboxylation and vitamin K utilization were abundant in pancreatic beta cells. These cells are vital as they produce insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels.

Ferron, a renowned molecular biology researcher, highlighted that diabetes is caused by a decrease in the number of beta cells or their inability to produce sufficient insulin.

To comprehend how vitamin K sustains beta cell function at the cellular level, it was crucial to identify the protein affected by gamma-carboxylation in these cells.

Julie Lacombe, who worked in Ferron’s laboratory, revealed that they discovered a novel gamma-carboxylated protein called ERGP. The research demonstrates that this protein plays a pivotal role in maintaining appropriate levels of calcium in beta cells to prevent insulin secretion disruption.

Ultimately, according to the researcher, they demonstrate that vitamin K, via gamma-carboxylation, is an effective way to regulate ERGP and maintain beta cell function.