Figure 2.

Schematic representation of vitamin K involvement in ’inflammaging’ and age-related diseases. ’Inflammaging’ and its associated senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) can be triggered by stress conditions such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage and telomerase loss, resulting in increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, cell senescence and apoptosis. All these processes contribute to an increased low-grade inflammatory status at tissue and systemic levels. Decreased vitamin K levels have been associated to increased aging processes and age-related disorders, by interfering with the γ-carboxylation of VKDPs such as Gas6 and GRP involved in apoptosis and pathological calcification, and by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction independently of its activity as co-factor for γ-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX). Abs, apoptotic bodies; OA, osteoarthritis; CVD, cardiovascular diseases.