The Intracellular and Secreted Sides of Osteopontin and Their Putative Physiopathological Roles

Abstract

Classically, osteopontin (OPN) has been described as a secreted glycophosprotein. Indeed, most data concerning its physiological and pathological roles are mainly related to the secreted OPN (sOPN). However, there are several instances in which intracellular OPN (iOPN) has been described, presenting some specific roles in distinct experimental models, such as in the immune system, cancer cells, and neurological disorders. We herein aimed to highlight and discuss some of these secreted and intracellular roles of OPN and their putative clinical and biological impacts. Moreover, by consolidating data from the OPN protein database, we also analyzed the occurrence of signal peptide (SP) sequences and putative subcellular localization, especially concerning currently known OPN splicing variants (OPN-SV). Comprehending the roles of OPN in its distinct cellular and tissue environments may provide data regarding the additional applications of this protein as biomarkers and targets for therapeutic purposes, besides further describing its pleiotropic roles.