title: Gene expression of osteopontin in alopecia areata? A case-controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the expression of osteopontin (OPN) in alopecia areata (AA) lesions in a trial to clarify its possible role in the pathogenesis of such a disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue level of OPN was measured in 28 AA patients as well as 25 age- and sex-matched healthy controls using both real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tissue level of OPN by real-time PCR (4.5-12.8, 8.93 ± 1.9) and immunohistochemical expression of positive OPN mean area percent (7.1-21.2%, 12 ± 5.5%) were significantly higher in patients compared to controls (1-4.6, 2.11 ± 0.93; 3.9-12.02%, 6.8 ± 2.8%, respectively; p < 0.0000). The Severity of Alopecia Tool score showed no significant correlation with the OPN mRNA expression (r = 0.11, p = 0.55).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High OPN mRNA expression is associated with AA. OPN might play an important role in the pathogenesis of AA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kasr AlAini Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amr A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rateb
authors.forename: Faisal N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: Khadiga S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sayed
authors.forename: Rehab A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hegazy
authors.forename: Razan R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Al Agha
authors.forename: Laila A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rashed
authors.forename: Safinaz S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sayed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; C506895:SPP1 protein, human; D053495:Osteopontin