QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Huber, A. M. Articles by Sadowski, J. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Huber, A. M. Articles by Sadowski, J. A.

---

Articles

Tissue Phylloquinone and Menaquinones in Rats Are Affected by Age and Gender¹

Vitamin K Laboratory, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston MA 02111

²To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Phylloquinone and ten menaquinones (MK-1–MK-10) were measured in liver and eight extrahepatic tissues from male and female rats at 3, 12 and 24 mo of age. Phylloquinone and menaquinones showed characteristic tissue distribution. In liver, all 11 vitamers of vitamin K assayed were present in varying concentrations with phylloquinone and MK-6 the major forms. The only forms of vitamin K found in extrahepatic tissues were phylloquinone, MK-4 and MK-6. Brain contained only MK-4 and traces of phylloquinone. No significant gender difference was observed for phylloquinone except in heart at 3 mo of age (P 0.05). In heart, kidney and brain, MK-4 was significantly higher in females than in males (P 0.05). A similar gender effect was seen in kidney and lung for MK-6 (P 0.05). With age, hepatic phylloquinone and MK-6 significantly increased (P 0.05), whereas MK-4 was unchanged. In extrahepatic tissues, MK-4 decreased with age in heart and kidney of males and females, and in lung and cerebellum of males (P 0.05). MK-6 decreased with age in all extrahepatic tissued tested (P 0.05). The results suggest that in extrahepatic tissues, certain menaquinones may be the predominant form of vitamin K. The specific tissue distribution and the general decline of MK-4 and MK-6 in extrahepatic tissues during aging suggest a vitamin K tissue dynamic that is affected not only by diet, but also by gender, age and the specific roles of phylloquinone, MK-4 and MK-6 in metabolism. All of these factors must be taken into account in establishing the nutrient requirement for vitamin K.

KEY WORDS: • phylloquinone • menaquinones • gender • age • rats

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Okano, Y. Shimomura, M. Yamane, Y. Suhara, M. Kamao, M. Sugiura, and K. Nakagawa Conversion of Phylloquinone (Vitamin K1) into Menaquinone-4 (Vitamin K2) in Mice: TWO POSSIBLE ROUTES FOR MENAQUINONE-4 ACCUMULATION IN CEREBRA OF MICE J. Biol. Chem., April 25, 2008; 283(17): 11270 - 11279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Booth, J. W. Peterson, D. Smith, M. K. Shea, J. Chamberland, and N. Crivello Age and Dietary Form of Vitamin K Affect Menaquinone-4 Concentrations in Male Fischer 344 Rats J. Nutr., March 1, 2008; 138(3): 492 - 496. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L Booth, M. E O'Brien-Morse, G. E Dallal, K. W Davidson, and C. M Gundberg Response of vitamin K status to different intakes and sources of phylloquinone-rich foods: comparison of younger and older adults Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, September 1, 1999; 70(3): 368 - 377. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]