Vitamin K and vascular calcifications.
The role of vitamin K in the synthesis of some coagulation factors is well known. The implication of vitamin K in vascular health was demonstrated in many surveys and studies conducted over the past years on the vitamin K-dependent proteins non-involved in coagulation processes. The vitamin K-dependent matrix Gla protein is a potent inhibitor of the arterial calcification, and may become a non-invasive biochemical marker for vascular calcification. Vitamin K(2) is considered to be more important for vascular system, if compared to vitamin K(1). This paper is reviewing the data from recent literature on the involvement of vitamin K and vitamin K-dependent proteins in cardiovascular health.
Fodor
D
D
University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2nd Internal Medicine, Clinic Iuliu Hatieganu, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. dfodor@umfcluj.ro
Albu
A
A
Poantă
L
L
Porojan
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000502:physiology*; D000097568:Matrix Gla Protein
D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D014812:Vitamin K; D000097568:Matrix Gla Protein