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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #206992
Title: Genetic and non-genetic correlates of vitamins K and D

Author
item SHEA, KYLA - HNRCA AT TUFTS
item BENJAMIN, EMELIA - National Heart, Lung And Blood Institute(NHLBI)
item DUPUIS, JOSEE - Boston University
item MASSARO, JOSEPH - Boston University
item Jacques, Paul
item D'AGOSTINO, RALPH - Boston University
item Ordovas, Jose
item O'DONNELL, CHRISTOPHER - National Heart, Lung And Blood Institute(NHLBI)
item Dawson-Hughes, Bess
item VASAN, RAMACHANDRAN - National Heart, Lung And Blood Institute(NHLBI)
item Booth, Sarah

Submitted to: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/21/2007
Publication Date: 4/1/2009
Citation: Shea, K.M., Benjamin, E.J., Dupuis, J., Massaro, J.M., Jacques, P., D'Agostino, R.B., Ordovas, J.M., O'Donnell, C.J., Dawson-Hughes, B., Vasan, R., Booth, S.L. 2009. Genetic and non-genetic correlates of vitamins K and D. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 63:458-464.

Interpretive Summary: Nutritional influences on bone health are well characterized. However, little is known about the genetic and non-genetic determinants of vitamins K and D, both of which are involved in bone mineralization. The objective was to assess the genetic and non-genetic correlates of circulating measures of vitamins K and D status in the same community-based sample of men and women. Circulating measures of vitamin K status and vitamin D status were assessed in blood samples of 1762 men and women (average age 61 yrs), and the primary non-genetic determinants as well as the genetic determinants of these measures were determined. Non-genetic factors, including triglycerides, vitamin K intake, anticoagulant use, and HRT use in women, explained approximately 15 percent of the variation in vitamin K status among men and women. Genetic factors did not explain much about the variability in vitamin K status. Non-genetic factors, including season and vitamin D intake, as well as genetic factors were major determinants of vitamin D status.

Technical Abstract: Nutritional influences on bone health are well characterized. Little is known, though, about the determinants and heritability of vitamins K and D, both of which are involved in bone mineralization. The objective was to assess the genetic and non-genetic correlates of circulating measures of vitamin K and vitamin D status in the same community-based sample of men and women. Vitamin K [plasma phylloquinone and serum percentage of undercarboxylated osteocalcin(ucOC)], and vitamin D [plasma 25(OH)D] status were measured in 1762 Framingham Offspring Study participants (919 women; mean age 61 yrs). We examined associations with biologically plausible non-genetic factors associated with vitamins K and D status using stepwise regression. Heritability and linkage were determined using SOLAR. Non-genetic factors accounted for 16.3 and 13.4 percent of the variability in plasma phylloquinone in men and women respectively, with triglycerides and vitamin K intake being the primary correlates. In men 17.1 and in women 14.6 percent of the variability in percentage of ucOC was explained by non-genetic factors in our models. Heritability of these vitamin K status biomarkers was non significant. Season and vitamin D intake explained 24.7 percent (men) and 23.8 percent (women) of the variability in plasma 25(OH)D. Residual variability in plasma 25(OH)D was significantly heritable (heritability estimate=28.8 percent, p less than 0.01). Variability in biomarkers of vitamin K status was attributed to non-genetic factors, while variability in plasma 25(OH)D was found to be significantly heritable. Further studies are warranted to investigate genetic loci influencing vitamin D status.