The enzyme VKORC1 (full name: Vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1) is involved in the activation of vitamin K, a vitamin that in turn plays a role in blood clotting. If you have a deficiency of vitamin K, some clotting processes are unable to take place, as a result of which haemorrhages can occur. Controlled use is made of this mechanism to prevent thrombosis: inhibiting the enzyme VKORC1, with the help of blood thinners, results in clots developing in the blood vessels less quickly.
Anticoagulants (blood thinners) that are known to reduce vitamin K production are the coumarins acenocoumarol, phenprocoumon and warfarin. If you have a reduced level of the enzyme VKORC1, these drugs may have a different effect than expected and may be easily overdosed.
The activity of the enzyme VKORC1 varies from one individual to another.
This variation can be partly explained by genetic variations. Around 15% of people with a European background have significantly reduced activity of the enzyme VKORC1 and, consequently, increased sensitivity to coumarins.
The percentage is much higher in the case of people of East Asian origin.
As anticoagulants need to be dosed precisely, it may be important to know what VKORC1 genotype you have.
When a genotype is determined these variations in the VKORC1 gene are indicated by the nucleotide number followed by the nucleotide change. An example of a possible VKORC1 genotype is 1173CT.
At iGene we determine the following variants (alleles) of the VKORC1 gene: 1173C>T (is linked to variant -1639G>A).
Enzyme ya VKORC1 (vitamini K epoxidoreductive complex 1) ni muhimu kwa ajili ya kuchochea vitamini K, ambayo ina jukumu katika kuganda kwa damu. Ikiwa una upungufu wa vitamini K, baadhi ya michakato ya kuganda ya damu haiwezi kutokea, na matokeo yake yanaweza kutokea. Kwa mfano, kwa kuzuia thrombosis, kuzuia enzyme VKORC1 kwa msaada wa dawa za kuyeyusha damu husababisha kuganda kwa mishipa ya damu. Anticoagulants (vipuli vya damu) vinavyojulikana kupunguza uzalishaji wa vitamini K ni coumarin acenocoumarol, phenprocoumon na warfarin. Ikiwa kiwango cha enzyme ya VKORC1 imepungua, dawa hizi zinaweza kuwa na athari tofauti na inatarajiwa na zinaweza kutumiwa kwa kiasi kikubwa. Utendaji wa enzyme ya VKORC1 hutofautiana kutoka mtu mmoja hadi mwingine. Tofauti hiyo yaweza kuelezwa kwa sehemu na tofauti za urithi. Kwa mujibu wa utafiti huo, asilimia 15 ya watu wenye asili ya Ulaya wana kiwango cha chini cha utendaji wa enzyme ya VKORC1 na hivyo wana uwezo mkubwa wa kuathiriwa na coumarin. Asilimia hiyo ni kubwa zaidi katika kisa cha watu wa asili ya Asia Mashariki. Kwa sababu anticoagulants zinahitaji kupimwa kwa usahihi, inaweza kuwa muhimu kujua nini VKORC1 genotype una. Katika kesi ya genotype, mabadiliko ya VKORC1 huonyeshwa na idadi ya nucleotide, ikifuatiwa na mabadiliko ya nucleotide. Mfano wa genotype ya VKORC1 ni 1173CT. Vipengele vya iGene vya VKORC1 vimeunganishwa na 1173C-T (ambayo inahusiana na -1639G-A).