Mechanism of coumarin action: sensitivity of vitamin K metabolizing enzymes of normal and warfarin-resistant rat liver

Abstract

The in vitro effects of 2 coumarin anticoagulants, warfarin and difenacoum, on rat liver microsomal vitamin K-dependent carboxylase, vitamin K epoxidase, vitamin K epoxide reductase, and cytosolic vitamin K reductase (DT-diaphorase) from the livers of normal and warfarin-resistant strain of rats were determined. Millimolar concentrations of both coumarins are required to inhibit the carboxylase and epoxidase activities in both strains of rats. Sensitivity of DT-diaphorase to coumarin inhibition differs when a soluble or liposomal-associated substrate is used, but the diaphorases isolated from both strains of rats have comparable sensitivity. The anticoagulant difenacoum is an effective rodenticide in the warfarin-resistant strain of rats, and the only enzyme studied from warfarin-resistant rat liver that demonstrated a significant differential inhibition by the 2 coumarins used was the vitamin K epoxide reductase. This enzyme also showed the greatest sensitivity to coumarin inhibition among the enzymes studied. Evidently, the physiologically important site of action of coumarin anticoagulants is the vitamin K epoxide reductase.