OBJECTIVE Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteopontin (OPN) have been identified within unstable atherosclerosis and circulating concentrates have been linked to cardiovascular events. We studied the influence of OPG and OPN on endothelial adhesion molecule expression and monocyte binding. METHODS Resting or tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) activated human endothelial cells were incubated with OPG...

Mutations of the ENPP1 gene encoding ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (NPP1) are associated with medial calcification in infancy. While the inhibitory role of matrix proteins such as osteopontin (OPN) with respect to atherosclerotic plaque calcification has been established, the role of NPP1 in plaque calcification is not known. We assessed the degree of plaque calcification ...

Tumor cells frequently have pronounced effects on the skeleton including bone destruction, bone pain, hypercalcemia, and depletion of bone marrow cells. Despite the serious sequelae associated with skeletal metastasis, the mechanisms by which tumor cells alter bone homeostasis remain largely unknown. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the disruption of bone homeostasis by tumor cells ...

NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? What is the functional relevance of OPN isoform expression in muscle pathology? What is the main finding and its importance? The full-length human OPN-a isoform is the most pro-inflammatory isoform in the muscle microenvironment, acting on macrophages and myoblasts in an RGD-integrin-dependent manner. OPN-a upregulates expression of tenas...

The growth of melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells of the skin, normally is restricted to the epidermis. Transformed melanocytes, which have invaded the dermis, however, have gained the ability to grow in this new environment and to counteract apoptosis induced by the dermal connective tissue. The expression of genes contributing to the survival of melanocytes in the dermal environment, the...

Glomerular hypertension is a major determinant advancing progression to end-stage renal failure. Podocytes, which are thought to counteract pressure-mediated capillary expansion, are increasingly challenged in glomerular hypertension. Studies in animal models of glomerular hypertension indicate that glomerulosclerosis develops from adhesions of the glomerular tuft to Bowman's capsule due to pro...

Calciumoxalat ist der Hauptbestandteil von Nierensteinen. Das saure Osteopontin (OPN)-Protein im Urin kann das Wachstum CaC2O4-Kristallen hemmen und wirkt so als Inhibitor Mineralisation. Studien in Bulk-Lösung belegten die Wichtigkeit Bindung Erkennung OPN an CaC2O4-Mineraloberfläche, allerdinngs fehlen noch Einblicke aktive Zentrum auf molekularer Ebene während CaC2O4-Mineralisierung. Wir stu...

Osteopontin (OPN) is an osteogenic marker protein. Osteoblast functions are affected by inflammatory cytokines and pathological conditions. OPN is highly expressed in bone lesions such as those in rheumatoid arthritis. However, local regulatory effects of OPN on osteoblasts remain ambiguous. Here we examined how OPN influences osteoblast responses to mechanical stress and growth factors. Expres...

The objective of this study was to analyze the expression profile of the angiogenic components, vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA), basic fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), osteopontin (OPN) and ras homolog gene family, member C (RHOC), in urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) of the urinary bladder and to examine their role as candidate diagn...

Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted acidic phosphoprotein that binds to a cell-surface integrin-binding motif and is involved in many inflammatory and immune-modulating disorders. There is compelling evidence that soluble OPN can in a variety of situations help cells survive an otherwise lethal insult. In this study we show that OPN is localized in the rat pancreatic islets and ducts. Staining of p...