Osteopontin: Its Properties, Recent Studies and Potential Applications

OPN is a phosphorylated glycoprotein found in all vertebrate organisms and expressed in many tissues and secretions. It’s a pleiotropic protein that has different roles in many pathological and physiological processes. OPN is involved in many tissue transformation situations such as intestinal, brain development, immune system regulation of the ac-tivation of immune cells, inflammatory response and the immune system. This protein increases the functionality of the digestive system by regulating the intestinal microbiome and may help strengthen the intestinal barrier. OPN can also affect cognitive devel-opment and behavior. In addition, recently the association of OPN with cancer has been of critical importance. It has been shown that the expression of OPN increases in many types of cancer studied, which can promote the metastasis of tumor cells. OPN is also effective against the interaction with bacteria and infections, it can prevent the adhesion of bacteria, and this has supported the creation of new therapeutic approaches for oral care. Also, the supplement of OPN to infant formula has positively affected the immune and intestinal health of infants. Many studies conducted in recent years have focused on these issues. This article contains a review and comparison of existing information on the structure and functions of OPN. It emphasizes how milk OPN affects human, infant health and illness.