Effects of vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7) from fermented Okara on ALPase activity of human dental pulp

Most vitamin K-2 produced in Okara fermented by B. natto was Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) and more than 90% of the total MK-7 was in the form of water soluble complex with a protein. The molecular mass of soluble MK-7-protein complex was 45 Kd by SDS-PAGE, and this binding protein contained about 32% carbohydrate. MK-7 was purified from the fermented Okara, and the effect of MK-7 on alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) activity of human Dental Pulp was investigated. The presence of MK-7 in the range of 10(-8) to 10(-6) M caused a significant increase in the ALPase activity of human Dental Pulp. These results suggest that MK-7 can be closely related to calcification ability of human Dental Pulp.