Warfarin and vitamin K compete for binding to Phe55 in human VKOR

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2017 Jan;24(1):77-85. doi: 10.1038/nsmb.3338. Epub 2016 Dec 12.

Abstract

Vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR) catalyzes the reduction of vitamin K quinone and vitamin K 2,3-epoxide, a process essential to sustain γ-carboxylation of vitamin K-dependent proteins. VKOR is also a therapeutic target of warfarin, a treatment for thrombotic disorders. However, the structural and functional basis of vitamin K reduction and the antagonism of warfarin inhibition remain elusive. Here, we identified putative binding sites of both K vitamers and warfarin on human VKOR. The predicted warfarin-binding site was verified by shifted dose-response curves of specified mutated residues. We used CRISPR-Cas9-engineered HEK 293T cells to assess the vitamin K quinone and vitamin K 2,3-epoxide reductase activities of VKOR variants to characterize the vitamin K naphthoquinone head- and isoprenoid side chain-binding regions. Our results challenge the prevailing concept of noncompetitive warfarin inhibition because K vitamers and warfarin share binding sites on VKOR that include Phe55, a key residue binding either the substrate or inhibitor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocatalysis
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Drug Resistance
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Phenylalanine / chemistry
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical
  • Vitamin K 1 / analogs & derivatives
  • Vitamin K 1 / chemistry
  • Vitamin K 2 / chemistry
  • Vitamin K Epoxide Reductases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Vitamin K Epoxide Reductases / chemistry*
  • Warfarin / chemistry*

Substances

  • Vitamin K 2
  • vitamin K1 oxide
  • Phenylalanine
  • Warfarin
  • Vitamin K 1
  • Vitamin K Epoxide Reductases