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Measurement of vitamin K in human liver by gradient elution high-performance liquid chromatography using
Y Usui1, N Nishimura, N Kobayashi
1Second Department of Surgery, Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
Abstract:
A sensitive and precise method for measuring endogenous phylloquinone (K1) and menaquinone (MK-n) in human liver was developed, based on gradient elution high-performance liquid chromatography using platinum-black catalyst reduction and fluorimetric detection. Subnanogram levels of vitamin K compounds in 1 g of liver specimen were detectable. We measured vitamin K concentrations in 38 human resected livers. K1 and MK-4 to MK-13 were detected. The concentrations of MK-10 to MK-12 in livers with chronic hepatitis (n = 10) and cirrhosis (n = 22) were significantly lower than in normal livers (n = 6). It is suggested that the decreased concentrations indicate functional damage of the hepatocytes.