Vitamin K-dependent reactions in rat liver: role of flavoproteins.

The role of flavins in vitamin K function was assessed by examining blood coagulation and in vitro activities of hepatic vitamin K-dependent enzymes from control and riboflavin-deficient rats. One-stage prothrombin times and Factor VII activities were lower in flavin-deficient rats than in ad libitum or pair-fed controls. Fibrinogen, prothrombin, and Factor X activities were normal. Hepatic vitamin K-dependent carboxylase activity was severely depressed in flavin-deficient rats when assayed with [vitamin K + NADH] and somewhat depressed with reduced vitamin K (vitamin KH2) as substrate. One-hour flavin repletion appreciably restored [vitamin K + NADH]-dependent activity, but vitamin KH2-dependent activity was not restored even after 16 hours repletion. These results suggest that the carboxylating enzyme itself is not a flavoprotein, but that the microsomal NADH dehydrogenase required for [vitamin K + NADH]-dependent carboxylation is a flavoprotein. This dehydrogenase may differ from the cytosolic Warfarin-inhibitable 'DT-diaphorase' in that the activity of the latter, which is reduced 50% in flavin-deficient rats, is not at all restored by one-hour flavin repletion. Flavin status-dependent differences in NADH-dependent or vitamin KH2-dependent epoxidation of vitamin K paralleled differences in the carboxylase. Flavin deficiency had no effect on vitamin K 2,3-epoxide reductase activity nor on its inhibition by Warfarin.