PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate the expressions of osteopontin (OPN) and clusterin in a transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder, and then compare their expression rates with the tumor invasiveness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five superficial and 25 invasive TCC were used for immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: All 25 non-invasive TCC showed a strong positive reaction for OPN. Twenty of the invasive TCC showed a strong positive reaction for OPN, but 5 showed only a weak positive reaction. OPN expression was significantly decreased in the invasive TCC (p=0.02). Eighteen superficial TCC showed a weak positive reaction for clusterin, with 7 showing a negative reaction. Nine invasive TCC showed a strong positive reaction for clusterin, and 11 showed only a weak positive reaction. Five invasive TCC showed a negative reaction for clusterin. Clusterin expression was significantly increased in the invasive TCC (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results may suggest that OPN and clusterin could be used as markers to predict the biological behavior of a TCC.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Clusterin* ; Osteopontin* ; Urinary Bladder*

BACKGROUND: Although basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common human skin tumor, with calcification reportedly taking place in about 20% of all BCC cases, the pathogenesis of calcification in BCC has not yet been studied. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors related to the pathogenesis of calcification in BCC. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical staining for beta-catenin, frizzled-2, BMP-4, osteopontin, osteocalcin, and osteonectin using frozen skin tissue from 15 cases of BCC with calcification and 11 cases of BCC without calcification. RESULTS: The expression of beta-catenin showed positive in 14 of the 15 cases in BCC with calcification, but negative in all 11 cases of BCC without calcification. The expression of frizzled-2 was observed in 14 of the 15 cases in BCC with calcification, and in 10 of the 11 cases in BCC without calcification. The difference did not reach statistical significance (p=0.236). The expression of BMP-4 was observed in all 26 samples of BCC, but the intensity of expression did not reach statistical significance between the two groups (p=0.293). Furthermore, osteopontin and osteocalcin showed no statistical significance between two the groups (p=0.567, p=0.401). The expression of osteonectin was observed in all of the BCC cases, and was stronger in BCC with calcification than in BCC without calcification (p=0.042). CONCLUSION: We suggest that the calcification in BCC might be related to the increase of beta-catenin expression and that osteonectin might also influence the process of calcification in BCC.
beta Catenin* ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Humans ; Osteocalcin* ; Osteonectin* ; Osteopontin* ; Skin

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at evaluating the histological changes of new bone and expression of osteopontin (OPN) after mandibular distraction osteogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Unilateral mandibular distraction (0.5 mm twice per day for 10 days) was performed in eight adult dogs. Two animals were sacrificed at 7, 14, 28 and 56 days after completion of distraction, respectively. The distracted bones and contralateral non-distracted control bones were harvested and processed for histological and immunohistochemical examinations. RESULTS: The new bone was arranged to tension direction after distraction osteogenesis. 7 days after distraction, numerous osteoblasts lining the immature trabecular bone and fibroblast-like cells in the fibrous intrezone were observed. 14 days after distraction, the new formed trabecular bones were thickened compared with 7 days after distraction. 28 days after distraction, the fibrous interzone was almost filled with newly calcified bone, and it was more hardened at 56 days after distraction. Increased OPN signals detected in the osteoblasts lining the trabecular bone and fibroblast-like cells in the fibrous interzone at 7 and 14 days after distraction. At 28 days after distraction, the OPN was weakly expressed in the osteoblasts, and it was not detected in all cellular components of distracted bone at 56 days later of distraction. CONCLUSIONS: After distraction osteogenesis, the distracted zone was completely calcified during the 56 days of consolidation period. In this study, the staining intensity of OPN increased in the osteoblasts and fibroblast-like cells at 7 and 14 days after distraction. The expression pattern of this protein shown here suggested that OPN play an important role in the osteogenesis during the early consolidation period.
Adult ; Animals ; Dogs ; Humans ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction* ; Osteopontin*

Coronary Restenosis ; metabolism ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Humans ; Osteopontin ; metabolism

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Osteopontin ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical significance of osteopontin (OPN) and its receptor CD44v6 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODSOPN and CD44v6 expression were examined in OSCC (n=59) and normal oral mucosa (n=12) by EnVision method, the staining-grade were quantitatively studied by multiple functional image analyzer. Their expression grade of different clinical and pathological index were statistically studied.

RESULTSOPN expression grade was significantly higher in OSCC than that in normal oral mucosa (P<0.05). Significant deviation of OPN expression grade was found between different clinical stages, as well as between the groups with or without cervical lymph node metastasis. The group with cervical lymphnode metastasis had higher expression than that of the group without lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). However, there was no significant deviation between the expression grade in well-differentiated group and moderate or poorly differentiated group. The expression of CD44v6 showed no correlation with that of OPN, nor any difference between OSCC and normal oral mucosa.

CONCLUSIONOPN over expression was found in OSCC, and the expression level has correlation with the clinical staging and with cervical lymph node metastasis status. CD44v6 expression showed no difference between OSCC and normal oral mucosa nor any correlation with that of OPN.

Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Osteopontin

PURPOSE: Zinc, a biomineral present within and outside cells, manages various cellular mechanisms. In this study, we examined whether zinc was involved in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification via regulation of calcification inhibitor protein, osteopontin (OPN). METHODS: Rat aorta cell line (A7r5 cells) and primary vascular smooth muscle cells (pVSMCs) from rat aorta were cultured with phosphate (1-5 mM) and zinc (0-15 microM) as appropriate, along with osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) as control. The cells were then stained for Ca and P deposition for calcification examination as well as osteopontin expression as calcification inhibitor protein was measured. RESULTS: Both Ca and phosphate deposition increased as the addition of phosphate increased. In the same manner, the expression of osteopontin was upregulated as the addition of phosphate increased in both cell types. When zinc was added, Ca and P deposition decreased in VSMCs, while it increased in osteoblasts. CONCLUSION: The results imply that zinc may prevent VSMC calcification by stimulating calcification inhibitor protein OPN synthesis in VSMCs.
Animals ; Aorta ; Cell Line ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Osteoblasts ; Osteopontin ; Rats ; Zinc*

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of irradiation on the phenotypic expression of the MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cell line, particularly on the expression of osteocalcin and osteopontin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cells were irradiated with a single dose of 0.5, 1, 4, and 8 Gy at a dose rate of 5.38 Gy/min using a cesium 137 irradiator. After the specimens were harvested, RNA was extracted on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 21st day after irradiation. The RNA strands were reverse-transcribed and the resulting cDNAs were subjected to amplification by PCR. RESULTS: The irradiated cells demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in osteocalcin and a dose-dependent decrease in osteopontin mRNA expression compared with the non-irradiated control group. The amount of osteocalcin mRNA expression decreased significantly at the 3rd day after irradiation of 0.5, 1, 4, and 8 Gy, and also decreased significantly at the 3rd, 14th, and 21st day after irradiation in the 8 Gy exposed group compared with the control group. The degree of osteopontin mRNA expression increased significantly at the 7th day after irradiation of 0.5, 1, 4, and 8 Gy. CONCLUSION: These results showed that each single dose of 0.5, 1, 4, and 8 Gy influenced the mRNA expression of osteocalcin and osteopontin associated with the calcification stage of osteoblastic cells, suggesting that each single dose affected bone formation at the cell level.
Cell Line* ; Cesium ; DNA, Complementary ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteocalcin* ; Osteogenesis ; Osteopontin* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger*

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of DFPR on differentiation of mouse calvarial cell in vitro, to examine the possibility for periodontal regeneration. 10microgram/ml of DFPR was used as experimental concentration. osteogenic medium only was assigned as control, Experimental 1 was supplemented with 10nM dexamethasone, Experimental 2 with 10microgram/ml DFPR and Experimental 3 with 10nM dexamethasone + 10microgram/ml DFPR. cellular activity was evaluated by MTT method at 8, 12, 16 days, expression of mRNA of ALP, osteopontin, osteocalcin, collagen type-1 was detected by RT-PCR method at 4, 8, 12, 16 days of culture . extent of mineralization was observed by Von Kossa staining at 16 day of culture. The results are as follows 1)Any acceleration of differentiation was not observed at expression of differentiation marker, 2) Decrease in expression of extracelluar matrix and in bone nodule formation was observed The results suggested that DFPR have negative effect on the rate of differentiation on rat calvarial cell, decrease extracelluar matrix formation ,decrease bone nodule formation. Ongoing studies are necessary in order to determine effect of DFPR on periodontal regeneration.
Acceleration ; Animals ; Collagen ; Dexamethasone ; Methylene Chloride* ; Mice* ; Osteocalcin ; Osteopontin ; Rats ; Regeneration ; RNA, Messenger

PURPOSE: In this paper we tried to evaluate the most appropriate surface for rhBMP-2 coating among 4 rough titanium surfaces. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used machined surface as a control group and anodized, RBM and SLA surfaces as test groups. We coated rhBMP-2 on the 4 surfaces and with uncoated surfaces for each case, we cultured human mesenchymal stem cells on all 8 surfaces. 24 hours after we measured the stem cell'attachment with SEM, and on 3rd, 7th, and 14th days, we checked the cell proliferation and differentiation by using MTT and ALP activity assay. And on the 7th day after the culture, we performed RT-PCR assay to determine whether the expression levels of Type I collagen, osteocalcin, osteopontin were changed. RESULTS: We observed with SEM that 4 rhBMP-2 coated surfaces exhibited wider and tighter cell attachment and more cell process spreading than uncoated surfaces. The anodized rhBMP-2 surface caused robustest effects. In MTT assay we could not find any meaningful difference. In ALP assay there was a significant increase (P<.05) in the ALP activity of anodized rhBMP-2 coated surface compared with that of the control (3rd and 14th days) and with that of the RBM rhBMP-2 coated surface (14th day). In RT-PCR assay there was increased expressions in the anodized rhBMP-2 coated surface for osteocalcin, and osteopontin. CONCLUSION: We found that the anodized rhBMP-2 coated surface were most prominent stem cell attachment and differentiation in compared to control and Machined rhBMP-2 coated, RBM rhBMP-2 coated surface.
Cell Proliferation ; Collagen Type I ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteocalcin ; Osteopontin ; Stem Cells ; Titanium