Phylloquinone and ten menaquinones (MK-I-MK-IO) 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 distributi
on. 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 ge
nder difference was observed for phylloquinone except in heart at 3 mo of a
ge (P less than or equal to 0.05). In heart, kidney and brain, MK-4 was sig
nificantly higher in females than in males (P less than or equal to 0.05).
A similar gender effect was seen in kidney and lung for MK-6 (P less than o
r equal to 0.05). With age, hepatic phylloquinone and MK-6 significantly in
creased (P less than or equal to 0.05), whereas MK-4 was unchanged. In extr
ahepatic tissues, MK-4 decreased with age in heart and kidney of males and
females, and in lung and cerebellum of males (P less than or equal to 0.05)
. MK-6 decreased with age in all extrahepatic tissued tested (P less than o
r equal to 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 tiss
ues during aging suggest a vitamin K tissue dynamic that is affected not on
ly 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 acco
unt in establishing the nutrient requirement for vitamin K.