Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifaceted matricellular protein, with well-recognized roles in both the physiological and pathological processes in the body. OPN is expressed in the main organs and cell types, in which it induces different biological actions. During physiological conditioning, OPN acts as both an intracellular protein and soluble excreted cytokine, regulating tissue remodeling and immune-infiltrate in adipose tissue the heart and the kidney. In contrast, the increased expression of OPN has been correlated with the severity of the cardiovascular and renal outcomes associated with obesity. Indeed, OPN expression is at the "cross roads" of visceral fat extension, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and renal disorders, in which OPN orchestrates the molecular interactions, leading to chronic low-grade inflammation. The common factor associated with OPN overexpression in adipose, cardiac and renal tissues seems attributable to the concomitant increase in visceral fat size and the increase in infiltrated OPN+ macrophages. This review underlines the current knowledge on the molecular interactions between obesity and the cardiac-renal disorders ruled by OPN.

• Keywords
• cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic kidney disease (CKD), obesity, osteopontin (OPN), renal disorders, visceral adipose tissue (VAT),
• MeSH
• Insulin Resistance genetics   MeSH
• Kidney metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Myocardium metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Kidney Diseases genetics   metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Heart Diseases genetics   metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Intra-Abdominal Fat metabolism   MeSH
• Obesity genetics   metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Osteopontin genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Adipose Tissue metabolism   MeSH
• Inflammation genetics   pathology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Osteopontin MeSH