Department of Internal Medicine, Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus Liebig University of Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
Abdirashit Maripov
Department of Mountain and Sleep Medicine and Pulmonary Hypertension, National Center of Cardiology and Internal Medicine, Bishkek 720040, Kyrgyzstan
Akpay S. Sarybaev
Department of Mountain and Sleep Medicine and Pulmonary Hypertension, National Center of Cardiology and Internal Medicine, Bishkek 720040, Kyrgyzstan
Ralph Theo Schermuly
Department of Internal Medicine, Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus Liebig University of Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
Akylbek Sydykov
Department of Internal Medicine, Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus Liebig University of Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a pathological condition with multifactorial etiology, which is characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular remodeling. The underlying pathogenetic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Accumulating clinical evidence suggests that circulating osteopontin may serve as a biomarker of PH progression, severity, and prognosis, as well as an indicator of maladaptive right ventricular remodeling and dysfunction. Moreover, preclinical studies in rodent models have implicated osteopontin in PH pathogenesis. Osteopontin modulates a plethora of cellular processes within the pulmonary vasculature, including cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, extracellular matrix synthesis, and inflammation via binding to various receptors such as integrins and CD44. In this article, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of osteopontin regulation and its impact on pulmonary vascular remodeling, as well as consider research issues required for the development of therapeutics targeting osteopontin as a potential strategy for the management of PH.
