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B. H. Breier
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B. W. Gallaher
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P. D. Gluckman
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ABSTRACT

This report describes essential requirements for the validation of a radioimmunoassay (RIA) for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and presents solutions to some problems and pitfalls commonly observed. The preparation of IGF-I to be used as radioligand or standard has to be selected carefully since some IGF-I preparations are contaminated with variants which demonstrate different potencies for different antisera used in the RIA.

Accurate assessment of IGF-I levels in blood plasma requires an efficient extraction method for the IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). Extraction methods to remove the influence of IGFBPs in the RIA were compared using blood plasma of considerable differences in IGF-I/IGFBP ratios. Acidification of plasma before column chromatography on Sephadex G-75 (G75) is generally considered to be the most reliable extraction method, but it is very time-consuming. The acid–ethanol extraction (AE) of plasma is not valid in many situations. Non-parallel displacement to the IGF-I standard was observed with AE-extracted plasma samples in the RIA. In addition, a comparison of IGF-I values obtained in the RIA after AE or G75 extraction of fetal ovine plasma has shown no significant correlation.

We report an extraction technique based on a modified AE extraction followed by cryo-precipitation (AEC). AEC extraction on blood plasma reduced residual IGFBPs to a level that did not interfere in the assay. Furthermore, AEC-extracted plasma samples showed parallel displacement in the RIA to highly purified preparations of authentic IGF-I. We observed high correlations, with a slope close to unity, of IGF-I values obtained in the RIA using the AEC or G75 extraction for plasma from different species including adult and fetal sheep, rat, mouse and man. The AEC extraction provides a rapid and simple alternative to G75 extraction for blood plasma from a variety of species provided that high-affinity antisera are used for the RIA.

Journal of Endocrinology (1991) 128, 347–357

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B W Gallaher
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B H Breier
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W F Blum
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S N McCutcheon
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P D Gluckman
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Abstract

Although insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) is an abundant IGFBP in fetal and postnatal plasma, its regulation is not yet clearly understood. To address this question in sheep, we purified ovine IGFBP-2 and developed a homologous radioimmunoassay. We have studied its ontogenesis and measured serum concentrations of ovine IGFBP-2 after bovine growth hormone (bGH), ovine placental lactogen (oPL) and IGF-I treatment.

Concentrations of IGFBP-2 were high at 125 days of gestation (550 ± 15 μg/l) but fell after birth P<0·05) and plateaued after 1 year of age (340 ± 20 μg/l). In lactating ewes, bGH treatment for 7 days significantly reduced (21%; P<0·05) IGFBP-2 relative to the saline-treated group. Similarly, in neonatal lambs, bGH treatment from day 3 to day 23 of life reduced (P<0·05) IGFBP-2 by 23% relative to the saline-treated group. oPL had no effect on serum levels of IGFBP-2 in the ewe or the neonatal lamb. In well-fed yearling lambs, treatment with IGF-I reduced IGFBP-2 values by 27% (P<0·05) relative to control animals. In yearling lambs, reduced nutrition increased plasma IGFBP-2 (41%; P<0·05). However this increase was abolished by IGF-I treatment.

The changes in plasma levels of IGFBP-2 were positively related to changes in IGF-II while there was a negative relationship between circulating IGF-I and IGFBP-2 such that both IGF-I and IGF-II may play a role in the regulation of IGFBP-2 in serum.

Journal of Endocrinology (1995) 144, 75–82

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A A Butler
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B W Gallaher
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G R Ambler
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P D Gluckman
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B H Breier
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Abstract

The majority of IGF-I circulates in a large (150 kDa) ternary complex with IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and a non-IGF-binding acid-labile subunit. The secretion of ternary complex into the circulation from liver has been considered to be GH-dependent; however, recent data indicate that GH does not directly regulate hepatic IGFBP-3 synthesis. To examine the role of insulin in regulating plasma IGFBP-3 levels, postpubertal male GH-deficient (dw/dw) rats were treated every 8 h with injections (s.c.) of 0·9% saline, 20 μg insulin/day, 200 μg hIGF-I/day, or 20 μg insulin/day plus 200 μg hIGF-I/day, for 10 days with the animals being killed 2–3 h after the final injection. Hypoglycaemia was not observed in any of the treatment groups. hIGF-I treatment increased longitudinal growth and weight gain (P<0·05), while insulin treatment had no effect. Plasma IGF-I levels were increased in groups treated with hIGF-I (P<0·05), while insulin treatment resulted in a reduction (P<0-05): saline=267·1 ± 15·6 (ng/ml ± s.e.m.), insulin=219·3 ± 17·5, hIGF-I=391·7 ± 17·6, insulin plus hIGF-I=357·5 ± 31·8. Hepatic IGF-I mRNA expression was increased in insulin-treated dw/dw rats in comparison with hIGF-I-treated animals (P<0·05) but not in comparison with saline control or the combined treatment groups. Plasma levels of intact IGFBP-3, measured by ligand blot analysis, were increased in all treatment groups compared with saline (P<0·05): saline=100·0 ± 9·4% (% of saline ± s.e.m.), insulin=149·9 ± 17·5%, hIGF-I= 191·4 ± 17·3%, insulin plus hIGF-I=205·4 ± 15·3%. The levels of the 28/32 kDa IGFBPs and IGFBP-4 in plasma were increased by hIGF-I treatment (P<0·05) but not by insulin treatment. Hepatic specific 125I-bovine GH binding was not significantly different in any of the treatment groups. This study provides the first evidence in non-diabetic animals that insulin regulates hepatic IGF-I mRNA expression, plasma IGF-I and plasma IGFBP-3 levels in the GH-deficient state without changes in hepatic GH receptors. The divergent response of plasma IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels to insulin treatment in the present study may indicate an effect of insulin on the clearance of IGF-I from the circulation.

Journal of Endocrinology (1996) 150, 67–76

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J. B. Koea
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B. W. Gallaher
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B. H. Breier
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R. G. Douglas
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S. Hodgkinson
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J. H. F. Shaw
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P. D. Gluckman
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ABSTRACT

Primed constant infusions of [14C]urea were used to determine the acute effect of passive immunization against circulating free and protein-bound insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on the rate of net protein catabolism (NPC) in castrated male lambs fasted for 48 h. Following an intravenous bolus of 50 ml IGF-I antiserum, the rate of NPC increased to a peak 30 min after injection of 1·69 ± 0·16 g/kg per day from a baseline value of 1·45±0·22 g/kg per day (P<0·05, n = 4). In three animals given 50 ml equivalents of the purified immunoglobulin fraction, NPC increased from 1·31 ±0·20 to 1·59±0·16 g/kg per day (P<0·05). A similar trend was observed in animals given 25 ml antiserum (n = 4). The rate of NPC did not increase following a bolus of non-immune serum in control animals and the rate of NPC in the treated lambs returned to control levels within 60 min of antibody injection. Plasma insulin and glucose concentrations in both the treated and control groups were unchanged throughout the study. These data suggest that circulating IGF-I has a physiological role in regulating whole body protein turnover during starvation and possibly other catabolic states. The effect of immunoneutralization of circulating IGF-I is transient and this suggests that while IGF-I has an endocrine role in the regulation of protein turnover, other regulatory mechanisms are involved.

Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 135, 279–284

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M H Oliver
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J E Harding
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B H Breier
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P C Evans
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B W Gallaher
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P D Gluckman
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Abstract

It has been suggested, but not shown, that in the fetus placental lactogen (PL) may affect the regulation of the IGFs and fetal metabolism. To examine the effects of PL on the circulating concentrations of the IGFs, IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs), glucose, free fatty acids (FFAs) and amino nitrogen (AN), we infused late gestation sheep fetuses with recombinant ovine PL (roPL). Five chronically-catheterised sheep fetuses were infused intravenously with three 24 h infusions of saline, roPL (100 μg bolus then 500 μg over 24 h) and then saline again.

Fetal roPL infusion increased plasma oPL from 0·4 ± 0·1 to 3·3 ± 0·5 nm (mean ± s.e.m.; P<0·05; factorial analysis of variance and Scheffé's test). Fetal plasma IGF-I, IGF-II, insulin, FFAs and blood glucose were unaffected by the roPL infusion. Fetal plasma IGFBP-3, as measured by Western ligand blotting, decreased by 30% during fetal roPL infusion while other fetal plasma IGFBPs were unaffected. Fetal roPL infusion decreased fetal blood AN from 7·3 ± 0·5 to 6·6 ± 0·2 mm (P<0·05). Maternal plasma IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBPs, insulin, FFAs, blood glucose and AN were unaffected by the fetal roPL infusion. Saline infusion had no effect on any parameter.

The data suggest that PL is not a significant determinant of plasma IGFs in the late gestation sheep fetus although there may be an indirect effect via alterations in levels of IGFBP-3. The effect of fetal roPL infusion on fetal blood AN concentrations may suggest some role for PL in the regulation of fetal amino acid metabolism.

Journal of Endocrinology (1995) 144, 333–338

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