New insights into vitamin K biology with relevance to cancer.

JoEllen Welsh, Min Ji Bak, Carmen J Narvaez

Journal: Trends in molecular medicine 2022;28(10):864-881

PMID: 36028390

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Abstract

Phylloquinone (vitamin K1) and menaquinones (vitamin K2 family) are essential for post-translational γ-carboxylation of a small number of proteins, including clotting factors. These modified proteins have now been implicated in diverse physiological and pathological processes including cancer. Vitamin K intake has been inversely associated with cancer incidence and mortality in observational studies. Newly discovered functions of vitamin K in cancer cells include activation of the steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR) and regulation of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy. We provide an update of vitamin K biology, non-canonical mechanisms of vitamin K actions, the potential functions of vitamin K-dependent proteins in cancer, and observational trials on vitamin K intake and cancer.

Address: Cancer Research Center and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].; Cancer Research Center and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.

DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2022.07.002

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MeSH Terms: Biology, Humans, Neoplasms, Pregnane X Receptor, Proteins, Vitamin K, Vitamin K 1, Vitamin K 2