Prior administration of vitamin K₂ improves the therapeutic effects of zoledronic acid in ovariectomized rats by antagonizing zoledronic acid-induced inhibition of osteoblasts proliferation and mineralization

Zoledronic acid (ZA) exerts complex influence on bone by suppressing bone resorption, mostly due to the direct osteoclasts inhibition and uncertain influence on osteoblasts. Vitamin K₂ (VK₂, Menaquinone-4) as an anabolic agent stimulates bone formation via anti-apoptosis in osteoblasts and mild osteoclasts inhibition. Based on these knowledge, the therapeutic effect of the combined or sequential therapy of VK₂ and ZA depends on the influence on the osteoblasts, since both cases exert similar inhibitory effect on osteoclasts. In a series of in vitro studies, we confirmed the protective effect of VK₂ in osteoblasts culture, especially when followed by exposure to ZA, and the proliferation and mineralization inhibition induced by ZA towards osteoblasts. For mechanism study, expression of bcl-2/bax, Runx2 and Sost in cells were examined. For in vivo studies, an osteoporosis animal model was established in rats via ovariectomy (OVX) and subjected to sequential treatment, namely VK₂ followed by ZA. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by Dual energy X-ray absorptionmetry (DEXA), morphology and mechanical parameters by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), mechanical strength by an electro-hydraulic fatigue-testing machine. The bone calcium, hydroxyproline content, blood lipids were evaluated using microplate technique, and the bone surface turnover was evaluated using the fluorescence in corporation method. It was found that VK₂ pretreatment partially prevented the inhibition of bone formation caused by ZA, which was reflected by indices like BMD, bone calcium content and bone strength. The underling mechanisms for protection of VK₂ pretreatment, mainly demonstrated via in vitro studies, included inhibiting apoptosis and depressing Sost expression in osteoblasts, which in turn improved the osteoporosis therapeutic effects of ZA. These findings suggested that pretreatment with VK2 before ZA therapy might serve a new long-term therapy protocol for osteoporosis.