Vitamins D and K jointly protect against osteoarthritis via regulating OSCAR during osteoclastogenesis

Zhao Y, Ou Q, Huang H, et al. · Journal of Orthopaedic Translation

MK-4 with calcitriol reduced cartilage degradation and pain in both mouse models, but the mechanism ran through the bone rather than the cartilage: the pair suppressed osteoclastogenesis via the osteoclast-associated receptor OSCAR and normalised subchondral remodelling, while direct effects on chondrocyte degradation were limited.

Population

Mice with destabilisation-of-the-medial-meniscus osteoarthritis and ovariectomy-induced osteoporotic osteoarthritis; preosteoclast cultures

Intervention

Menaquinone-4 50 micrograms/kg and calcitriol 20 micrograms/kg by gavage every other day, alone or combined, on a vitamin D and K deficient chow, from two weeks before surgery

Comparator

Untreated osteoarthritic mice

Limitations

Mouse models with MK-4 rather than MK-7, given alongside calcitriol (12 to 18 per group); the cartilage benefit is indirect, via subchondral bone. A corrigendum was published in 2026, whose content the archived text does not carry. Publicly funded; no competing interests.