Contents

#### **Preface XIII**


Håvard Jostein Haugen and Harald Osmundsen

#### **X** Contents


Chapter 8 **Anti-Inflammatory Actions of Vitamin K 153** Stephen J. Hodges, Andrew A. Pitsillides, Lars M. Ytrebø and Robin Soper

Chapter 17 **Enhanced Intracellular Delivery and Improved Antitumor**

Kazuhisa Matsunaga, Munechika Enjoji, Yoshiharu Karube and Jiro

Contents **VII**

**Efficacy of Menaquinone-4 311**

Takata


#### Chapter 17 **Enhanced Intracellular Delivery and Improved Antitumor Efficacy of Menaquinone-4 311**

**Section 4 Vitamin K2 and its Effect on Various Organ Systems 151**

Chapter 9 **Vitamin K2: Implications for Cardiovascular Health in the Context of Plant-Based Diets, with Applications for**

Chapter 10 **Menaquinone‐4 Enhances Steroidogenesis in Testis Derived Tumor Cells Via the Elevation of cAMP Level 189** Hsin‐Jung Ho, Hitoshi Shirakawa and Michio Komai

Chapter 11 **Vitamin K2 Facilitating Inter-Organ Cross-Talk 199**

**Section 5 Implications of Vitamin K2 in Non-Humans 213**

Chapter 12 **Vitamin K2 in Animal Health: An Overview 215**

Chapter 13 **Medicinal Chemistry of Vitamin K Derivatives and**

Brian M. Meehan and Jonathan Beckwith

Chapter 16 **Toxicological and Pharmacological Effects of VKOR**

Chapter 15 **Vitamin K2 Biosynthesis: Drug Targets for New**

Shinya Fujii and Hiroyuki Kagechika

Elliott and Stephen J. Hodges

**Metabolites 239**

**Antibacterials 281** Michio Kurosu

**Inhibitors 297** Yohei Miyamoto

Stephen J. Hodges, Andrew A. Pitsillides, Lars M. Ytrebø and Robin

Jan O. Gordeladze, Håvard J. Haugen, Gaute Floer Johnsen and

Jayde O'Neil, Bethany Scarrott, Ragnhild Aven Svalheim, Jonathan

**Section 6 Biosynthesis of Vitamin K2 and Various Metabolic Effects 237**

Chapter 14 **From Protein Folding to Blood Coagulation: Menaquinone as a Metabolic Link between Bacteria and Mammals 257**

Chapter 8 **Anti-Inflammatory Actions of Vitamin K 153**

**Prostate Health 169** Michael S. Donaldson

Mona Møller

Soper

**VI** Contents

Kazuhisa Matsunaga, Munechika Enjoji, Yoshiharu Karube and Jiro Takata

Preface

well as dementia.

vitamin K2.

specific cellular or tissue functions.

Vitamin K2 is a vitamin with multiple biological functions, ranging from calcification of the bone; decalcification of soft tissues (like blood vessels and heart valves); positive effects (i.e., functional normalization) of fat tissue, the pancreas, skeletal muscles, liver, and brain; and many others. Furthermore, it dampens or blocks untoward inflammatory processes induced by immune cells (like Th-1 and Th-17 cells), thus aiding our body in combating the detri‐ mental effects of interleukins and TNF-α on cell phenotypes, i.e., alteration and/or loss of

Hence, vitamin K2 may be construed as a factor or a hormone enabling our body in stabiliz‐ ing the so-called interorgan cross talk, in order to "normalize" a plethora of organ functions, such as bone and tooth differentiation/mineralization and soft tissue decalcification, a reduc‐ tion in the activity of inflammatory cells in general (which otherwise may destabilize cellu‐ lar phenotypes and therefore organ functioning), stimulation of adipocytes to develop into a beige type of fat cells, thus reducing the chances for developing adiposity and/or the degree to which fat and carbohydrate metabolism brings about unhealthy weight gain, as well as a remedy to prevent and or (perhaps also) cure conditions, like liver and prostate cancer, as

In this respect, vitamin K2 ingestion may be embraced as one factor, which supports longev‐ ity, as it so elegantly is described in the article by Dr. Lara Pizzorno: http://www.lmre‐ view.com/articles/view/Vitamin-K2-Essential-for-Prevention-of-Age-Associated-Chronic-Disease/. It is therefore important to explore the multitude of effects of vitamin K2 further,

And finally, the medical community is indebted to the research performed by the group of Dr. Satoshi Inoue, who founded the modern concept of vitamin K2, by creating experimen‐ tal animals/cells with genetic manipulations of the receptor SXR/PXR, which binds and brings about the effect of vitamin K2 in cells and whole organisms. We are honored to

I would also like to thank all the authors who contributed to this book, as well as Kappa Bioscience of Norway, which helped make this book possible, while still ensuring full aca‐ demic freedom for each and every team of scientists who shared their special knowledge of

**Jan Oxholm Gordeladze, professor PhD**

Institute of Basic Medical Science, Dept. of Molecular Medicine, Section for Biochemistry, Norway

in order to gain more information about the biological effect of this little molecule.

present some of his work in the present compilation of articles on vitamin K2.
