Abstract:Objective To compare cholesterol nucleation inhibiting activity and concentration of biliary osteopontin (OPN) protein from patients with cholesterol gallstone disease and normal individuals. Methods Biliary OPN protein were separated and purified from cholesterol gallstone patients and normal individuals using ultracentrifugation method combined with gel electrophoresis. Nucleation time and nucleation activity of OPN protein from the two groups were determined by HOLAN method. Concentration of biliary OPN protein of cholesterol gallstone patients and normal individuals were detected by Elisa method. Results Compared with normal individuals, the biliary OPN protein of cholesterol gallstone patients had shorter nucleation time (17.7±1.07 vs 20.4±1.90) d, and weaker cholesterol crystal nucleation inhibiting activity. Biliary OPN protein concentration in cholesterol gallstone patients were lower than in normal individuals (69.60±5.41 vs 82.08±5.63)ng/ml, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusions Comparing with normal individuals, cholesterol gallstone patients have lower biliary OPN concentration and weaker cholesterol nucleation inhibiting activity.