Abstract

In calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) progressive valvular calcification causes aortic valve dysfunction. CAVD has several risk factors such as age and dyslipidemia. Vitamin K was shown to inhibit vascular calcification in mice and valvular calcification in patients with CAVD. We studied the effect of menaquinone 4 (MK4/vitamin K2) on valvular calcification in the hypercholesterolemic mouse model of CAVD. LDLr^−/− ApoB^100/100 male mice were fed with a Western diet for 5 months, with (n = 10) or without (n = 10) added 0.2 mg/g MK4. Body weight gain was followed weekly. Morphology of aortic valves and liver was assessed with immunohistochemistry. Plasma cholesterol levels and cytokines from hepatic tissue were assessed in the end of the study. Hepatic gene expression of lipid metabolism regulating genes were assessed after 18 h diet. MK4 exacerbated the lipoprotein lipid profile without affecting aortic valve morphology in hypercholesterolemic LDLr^−/− ApoB^100/100 mice. The MK4-containing WD diet increased plasma levels of LDL and triglycerides, hepatic steatosis, and mRNA expression of genes required for triglyceride and cholesterol synthesis. MK4 diminished levels of several cytokines and chemokines in liver, including IL-6, TNFα and MCP1, as measured by hepatic cytokine array. Consequently, MK4 may exert non-beneficial effects on circulating lipid levels, especially in hypercholesterolemic individuals.