Differential effects of osteopontin on the cytotoxic activity of macrophages from young and old mice

Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted phosphoprotein found in body fluids (e.g. plasma, urine, milk) and in mineralized tissues. Its expression is increased in many transformed cells and in normal cells exposed to various cytokines. When stimulated with the inflammatory mediators lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma, mouse macrophages secrete nitric oxide (NO) as a cytotoxic agent effective against microbial invaders and tumour cells. This report documents (1) that thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages, activated with the inflammatory mediators, produced less NO and exhibited reduced cytotoxicity towards target cells when they were obtained from old animals than when they were obtained from young animals; and (2) that OPN was able to inhibit both the induced NO synthesis and cytotoxicity, but more effectively in macrophages from the young animals than those from the old animals. This may be due to the observed higher level of OPN expression in macrophages from old animals.