Osteopontin as a new player in mast cell biology

The secreted glycoprotein osteopontin (OPN) sets into motion an astounding variety of activities that range from bone remodeling via immunomodulation to the inhibition of apoptosis. In the current issue of the European Journal of Immunology, OPN now also enters mast cell biology and the regulation of IgE-dependent immune responses since it is reported that connective tissue-type mast cells from fetal murine skin constitutively secrete biologically active OPN. Moreover, it is shown that, in vitro, OPN augments IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation and migration via ligand binding to cognate OPN receptors on the mast cell surface (CD44, alpha v integrin) and that the magnitude of an IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction is augmented by OPN in vivo. Here, we discuss why this newly discovered property of OPN fits well into the emerging concept that OPN may serve as a multi-purpose environmental damage-response protein.