Genetic and non-genetic correlates of vitamins K and D.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the genetic and nongenetic correlates of circulating measures of vitamins K and D status in a community-based sample of men and women.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of 1762 participants of the Framingham Offspring Study (919 women; mean age 59 years). Vitamin K status was measured as plasma phylloquinone and serum percent undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC), and vitamin D was measured using plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). Associations between vitamin K status and vitamin D status with biologically plausible nongenetic factors were assessed using stepwise regression. Heritability and linkage were determined using Sequential Oligogenic Linkage Analysis Routines (SOLAR).


RESULTS
Nongenetic factors accounted for 20.1 and 12.3% of the variability in plasma phylloquinone in men and women respectively, with triglycerides and phylloquinone intake being the primary correlates. In men 12.2% and in women 14.6% of the variability in %ucOC was explained by nongenetic factors in our models. Heritability estimates for these vitamin K status biomarkers were nonsignificant. Season, vitamin D intake, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and waist circumference explained 24.7% (men) and 24.2% (women) of the variability in plasma 25(OH)D. Of the three vitamins examined, only 25(OH)D was significantly heritable (heritability estimate=28.8%, P<0.01), but linkage analysis of 25(OH)D did not achieve genome-wide significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Variability in biomarkers of vitamin K status was attributed to nongenetic factors, whereas plasma 25(OH)D was found to be significantly heritable. Further studies are warranted to investigate genetic loci influencing vitamin D status.
Shea
M K
MK
USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Benjamin
E J
EJ
Dupuis
J
J
Massaro
J M
JM
Jacques
P F
PF
D'Agostino
R B
RB
Ordovas
J M
JM
O'Donnell
C J
CJ
Dawson-Hughes
B
B
Vasan
R S
RS
Booth
S L
SL
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D012907:Smoking; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D010837:Vitamin K 1 / Q000097:blood*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D055105:Waist Circumference
D015415:Biomarkers; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D014815:Vitamins; D015675:Osteocalcin; D014812:Vitamin K; D014807:Vitamin D; D010837:Vitamin K 1; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D003404:Creatinine