Vitamin K metabolic pathway

The Vitamin K metabolic pathway refers to the enzymatic processes that recycle and activate vitamin K within cells, primarily through the actions of gamma-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX) and vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR). The major physiological output is the post-translational gamma-carboxylation of specific proteins, converting glutamate residues to gamma-carboxyglutamate, which is crucial for calcium binding and thus for blood coagulation, bone mineralization, and vascular health. Dysfunction or inhibition of key enzymes in this pathway (notably VKOR) leads to clinically significant bleeding disorders, and therapeutic agents such as warfarin exploit this by targeting VKOR to achieve anticoagulation

Other names

Vitamin K cycleVitamin K-epoxide cycleGamma-carboxylation pathway

Inhibition of VKOR, blocking the recycling of vitamin K and thus synthesis of active clotting factors (as with warfarin)