Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignancy of bone with a tendency to metastasize early. Despite intensive chemotherapy and surgical resection, ϳ30% of patients still develop distant metastasis. Our previous work using clinical OS samples suggested that expression of the Wnt receptor LRP5 might be associated with tumor metastasis. In the present study, we used a Dickkopf (Dkk) family member and a dominant-negative LRP5 receptor construct to modulate Wnt signaling in OS cells. Saos-2 cells, which ectopically express Dkk-3, do not undergo apoptosis and exhibit enhanced resistance to serum starvation and chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity. Transfection of Dkk-3 and dominant-negative LRP5 into Saos-2 cells significantly reduces invasion capacity and cell motility. This blockade is associated with changes in cell morphology consistent with a less invasive phenotype. In addition, Dkk-3 and dominant-negative LRP5 also induce changes in ␤-catenin localization consistent with an increase in cell-cell adhesion. Taken together, these results support a possible role for Wnt signaling in the pathobiology and progression of human OS.

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Summary.  Studies have suggested that high P‐glycoprotein expression in lymphocytes from patients with autoimmune disorders may affect disease outcome. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and Evans' syndrome are widely thought to be autoimmune processes, however, the precise mechanisms remain unknown. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with refractory or recurrent ITP or Evans' syndrome were studied using the rhodamine 123 flow cytometric assay to investigate functional export levels. Lymphocytes from ITP and Evans' syndrome patients showed a significantly decreased ability to retain rhodamine, suggesting increased export protein function. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction distinguished P‐glycoprotein as the likely export protein.