Osteopontin expression in human crescentic glomerulonephritis

Osteopontin expression in human crescentic glomerulonephritis Background Osteopontin is a molecule with diverse biological functions, including cell adhesion, migration, and signaling. The expression of osteopontin has been demonstrated in a number of models of renal injury in association with accumulations of monocyte/macrophages, including recent reports of osteopontin expression in glomerular crescents in a rat model of anti-glomerular basement membrane glomerulonephritis. Methods Glomerular expression of osteopontin in biopsies of human crescentic glomerulonephritis ( N = 25), IgA nephropathy with crescents ( N = 2), and diffuse proliferative lupus glomerulonephropathy with crescents ( N = 1) was studied by immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and combined immunohistochemistry/ in situ hybridization. Additionally, antibodies to cell-specific phenotypic markers were used to identify cellular components of the glomerular crescent, which express osteopontin protein and mRNA. Results All of the crescents present in the biopsies studied contained a significant number of cells that expressed osteopontin protein and mRNA, demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, respectively. Using replicate tissue sections and combined immunohistochemistry/ in situ hybridization, we showed that the majority of the strongly osteopontin-positive cells are monocyte/macrophages. In addition to the very strong and cell-associated localization, a weaker and more diffuse pattern of osteopontin protein and mRNA expression could be seen in a number of crescents. None of the osteopontin mRNA-expressing cells could be identified as parietal epithelial cells, CD3-positive T cells, or α-smooth muscle actin-positive myofibroblasts. Interstitial monocyte/macrophages did not express osteopontin, except when located in a periglomerular inflammatory infiltrate. Conclusions Macrophages present in the human glomerular crescent express osteopontin protein and mRNA at a high level. This expression supports a role for osteopontin in the formation and progression of the crescentic lesion via chemotactic and signaling properties of the molecule.