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Vitamin K2 Improves Renal Function and Increases Femoral Bone Strength in Rats with Renal Insufficiency

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Abstract

Renal insufficiency induces cortical bone loss in rats. The present study examined the influence of vitamin K2 on renal function, cortical bone mass, and bone strength in rats with renal insufficiency. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats (8 weeks old) were randomized by the stratified weight method to the following three groups of 10 animals each: sham operation (control), 5/6 nephrectomy, and 5/6 nephrectomy + oral vitamin K2 (menaquinone-4, menatetrenone, 30 mg/kg, 5 days/week). Treatment was initiated 10 days after surgery. After 6 weeks of treatment, samples of serum, urine, and bone (femur and tibia) were obtained. Renal function was evaluated, bone histomorphometric analysis was performed on the tibial diaphysis, and the bone mineral density (BMD) and mechanical strength of the femoral diaphysis were determined by peripheral quantitative computed tomography and a three-point bending test, respectively. Nephrectomy induced renal dysfunction, as indicated by increased levels of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen along with a decrease of creatinine clearance; and it also decreased BMD without significantly affecting bone strength at the femoral diaphysis. Vitamin K2 improved renal function parameters but did not significantly influence BMD at the femoral diaphysis. However, vitamin K2 decreased the bone marrow area of the tibial diaphysis and increased the stiffness of the femoral diaphysis. These findings suggest that administration of vitamin K2 improves renal function and increases cortical bone strength without altering BMD in rats with renal insufficiency.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Drs. Kiichi Nonaka and Kaori Shindo (ELK Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) for pQCT analysis, Dr. Toshimi Masaki (Mitani Institute for Bone Histomorphometry, Tokyo, Japan) for bone histomorphometric analysis, and Dr. Tsuyoshi Ishii (Maruto Instrument, Tokyo, Japan) for biomechanical testing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Integrated Sports Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan

    Jun Iwamoto & Hideo Matsumoto

  2. Hamri Co., Ltd., Ibaraki, Japan

    Azusa Seki

  3. Department of Neurology, Mitate Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan

    Yoshihiro Sato

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  1. Jun Iwamoto
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  2. Azusa Seki
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  3. Yoshihiro Sato
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  4. Hideo Matsumoto
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Correspondence to Jun Iwamoto.

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Iwamoto, J., Seki, A., Sato, Y. et al. Vitamin K2 Improves Renal Function and Increases Femoral Bone Strength in Rats with Renal Insufficiency. Calcif Tissue Int 90, 50–59 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-011-9548-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-011-9548-3

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