First Department of Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Clin Exp Allergy. 2011 Oct;41(10):1360-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2011.03775.x. Epub 2011 May 30.
Osteopontin (OPN) is an extracellular matrix protein and immune modulator with a wide range of functions. OPN is recognized as a key cytokine in Th1 immune responses, yet its potential involvement in allergic/asthmatic responses has been investigated only recently. Current data from molecular and cellular studies and studies of OPN-deficient mice provide evidence that OPN plays multiple roles in the regulation of allergic responses, including regulation of IgE response, inflammatory cell migration, and the development of airway fibrosis and angiogenesis. These results suggest that OPN is a pleiotropic cytokine that functions both systemically and locally in tissue mucosa. Notably, OPN is able to exert its effects through different functional domains, and the secreted and intracellular forms of OPN may have distinct functions. Future research to elucidate all aspects of OPN function is needed to ultimately establish its role in the regulation of immune responses and various disease processes, including those critically involved in the development of allergies and asthma.
骨桥蛋白（OPN）是一种细胞外基质蛋白和免疫调节剂，具有广泛的功能。OPN 被认为是 Th1 免疫反应中的关键细胞因子，但最近才开始研究其在过敏/哮喘反应中的潜在作用。目前来自分子和细胞研究以及 OPN 缺陷小鼠的研究数据提供了证据，表明 OPN 在调节过敏反应中发挥多种作用，包括调节 IgE 反应、炎症细胞迁移以及气道纤维化和血管生成的发展。这些结果表明 OPN 是一种多效细胞因子，在组织黏膜中具有全身性和局部作用。值得注意的是，OPN 能够通过不同的功能域发挥其作用，而 OPN 的分泌形式和细胞内形式可能具有不同的功能。需要进一步研究以阐明 OPN 功能的各个方面，最终确定其在调节免疫反应和各种疾病过程中的作用，包括与过敏和哮喘发展密切相关的过程。
