Osteopontin as a mediator of NKT cell function in T cell-mediated liver diseases.

Both osteopontin (OPN) and natural killer T (NKT) cells play a role in the development of immunological disorders. We examined a functional link between OPN and NKT cells. Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis is a well-characterized murine model of T cell-mediated liver diseases. Here, we show that NKT cells secrete OPN, which augments NKT cell activation and triggers neutrophil infiltration and activation. Thus, OPN- and NKT cell-deficient mice were refractory to Con A-induced hepatitis. In addition, a neutralizing antibody specific for a cryptic epitope of OPN, exposed by thrombin cleavage, ameliorated hepatitis. These findings identify NKT cell-derived OPN as a novel target for the treatment of inflammatory liver diseases.