ABSTRACT

The ontogeny and secretory pattern of plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in relation to GH secretion were studied in meat-type (broiler) poultry during prepubertal and post-pubertal growth. Male and female broiler chickens of two commercial strains (strains A and B) were reared from 1 to 198 days of age. From 1 to 49 days of age birds were reared in raised-wire cages and thereafter in deep-litter pens, with food available ad libitum. Blood samples were taken at regular intervals during growth, and at 29 and 43 days of age representative birds were cannulated and serial blood samples taken at 10-min intervals for 5 to 7 h. Plasma concentrations of GH and IGF-I were measured by radioimmunoassay.

Birds of strain A were heavier (P<0·05) than those of strain B from 12 to 35 days of age. In general, male birds were heavier (P<0·01) than females from 12 to 35 days of age. Plasma GH concentrations were significantly higher (P<0·05) from 12 to 35 days of age, while plasma IGF-I concentrations were lower (P<0·05) from 6 to 21 days of age in male compared with female birds. Plasma IGF-I concentration increased with age, reaching a plateau at 28 days of age, while plasma GH concentration declined over the same period. Plasma IGF-I concentrations declined in a linear manner from 49 to 198 days of age, and there was no evidence of a pubertal increase. There were no differences between strains in the plasma concentrations of GH or IGF-I. Serial blood sampling at 29 and 43 days of age showed that there was no relationship between GH and IGF-I, despite a highly pulsatile GH secretory pattern which existed at 29 days of age. These results show that as the plasma concentration of GH declines that of IGF-I increases. Plasma concentration of both GH and IGF-I in broiler chickens was sexually dimorphic, especially during the early growth phase to about 35 days of age.

Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 124, 81–87

ABSTRACT

We have identified a novel insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein secreted into the culture medium of a human lung fibroblast cell line (He[39]L). This binding protein was purified by S-Sepharose cation exchange chromatography, IGF affinity chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Analysis of the He[39]L-binding protein on silver-stained polyacrylamide gels and by ligand blotting showed that it had a molecular weight of 32 kDa under non-reducing conditions. In charcoal competition binding assays, IGF-II competed at lower concentrations than IGF-I for binding to the He[39]L-binding protein and the more potent form of IGF-I (des-(1–3)-IGF-I) was not bound. This is a similar IGF binding pattern to that of the bovine IGF-binding protein-2 (bIGFBP-2). However, immunoblotting with an antibody to bIGFBP-2 demonstrated that the He[39]L-binding protein is not immunochemically related to bIGFBP-2. It is a glycosylated protein, having N-acetyl-glucosaminyl sugars detected by wheatgerm agglutinin affinity chromatography. Of the first 15 N-terminal amino acids of the He[39]L-binding protein, 13 are identical to the 15 amino acid sequence of a recently sequenced cerebrospinal fluid-binding protein. However, the total He[39]L-binding protein sequence (25 amino acids) showed no homology to other previously sequenced binding proteins (IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3). We conclude that the He[39]L-binding protein is a novel binding protein.

Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 126, 497–506

ABSTRACT

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-II have been purified to homogeneity from chicken serum as a step towards the characterization of the roles for these peptides in the growth process. Chicken IGF-I had about half the efficacy of bovine/human IGF-I in a bioassay and in radioimmunoassays with bovine IGF-I as radioligand. Chicken IGF-II competed for the binding of bovine IGF-II to cell receptors while chicken IGF-I reacted minimally in this IGF-II radioreceptor assay. Further evidence of homology was obtained by N-terminal sequence analysis of the first 31 and 35 amino acids of chicken IGF-I and IGF-II respectively. Chicken IGF-I had the same N-terminal as human IGF-I, with the exception of the substitution of serine for asparagine at residue 26. Chicken IGF-II had a unique N-terminal tetrapeptide Tyr-Gly-Thr-Ala, but from residues 5–30 the sequence was identical to that reported for residues 6–31 of human IGF-II. Substitutions also occurred corresponding to residues 32, 33, 35 and 36 of human IGF-II. A variant form of chicken IGF-II that had the same N-terminal pentapeptide as human IGF-II was also detected.

J. Endocr. (1988) 117,173–181

ABSTRACT

We have investigated the clearance of ¹²⁵I-labelled chicken and recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) from the circulation of chickens as well as the role that IGF-binding proteins play in this process. Analysis of plasma samples by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) neutral gel permeation on a TSK G3000SW column indicated that the i.v. injected radioactivity was rapidly partitioned between at least three pools. Most of the radioactivity occurred in a complex with binding protein(s), while smaller amounts of radioactivity chromatographed in the free IGF-I peak or appeared as low molecular weight degradation products. The labelled chicken and human IGF-I were rapidly cleared during the first 90 min. The calculated half-life for total labelled IGF-I during this period was 54 min for the chicken tracer and 33 min for the human tracer. The clearance was monitored for 10 h during which the human tracer continued to be cleared more rapidly than the chicken tracer. The proportion of radioactivity appearing as low molecular weight degradation products increased with time. Acid gel permeation and reverse-phase HPLC of the binding protein-associated radioactivity demonstrated that the labelled IGF-I bound was intact IGF-I. Sephadex G-200 gel permeation chromatography of chicken plasma samples at pH 7·4 showed that the binding protein complex labelled in vivo with chicken IGF-I tracer had a molecular mass of 55 kDa. Furthermore, the tracer associated with the binding protein coeluted with the major peak of endogenous IGF-I, suggesting that the tracer was bound to the physiologically relevant binding protein. Similar results were obtained with Superose 12 chromatography. Human plasma chromatographed as expected with much of the immunoreactivity and the labelled IGF-I eluting with a mass of 150 kDa on both Sephadex G-200 and Superose 12 columns. Ligand blotting of plasma binding proteins with ¹²⁵I-labelled IGF-I after first subjecting the samples to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transfer to nitrocellulose confirmed that the predominant binding protein in chicken plasma differed from the major forms in human plasma.

Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 124, 361–370

Abstract

While numerous researchers have used rat models to investigate the in vivo actions of IGF-I, interpretation of the results in terms of true concentrations of rat IGF-I (rIGF-I) in plasma has been hampered by the absence of homologous reference standards. In order to overcome this we have produced recombinant rIGF-I (rrIGF-I) from Escherichia coli using procedures similar to those we have previously described for the production of other recombinant IGFs. The rrIGF-I is indistinguishable from serum-derived rIGF-I when characterized in a number of in vitro assays including ability to stimulate protein synthesis and inhibit protein degradation in cultured rat cells, as well as in interactions with the rat type-1 IGF receptor and with rat IGF-binding proteins. Moreover, both the serum-derived and the recombinant rat proteins are similar to recombinant human IGF-I (rhIGF-I) in these assays. However, differences between the human and rat IGFs are apparent when tested in immunoassays using some antibodies raised against rhIGF-I. Furthermore, the differences between rhIGF-I and rrIGF-I are even greater when rhIGF-I is used as the competing radiolabel in these assays, a situation that can lead to a two- to threefold underestimation of the actual concentration of IGF-I in rat plasma. These results indicate that, while immunoassays employing antibodies raised against rhIGF-I and rhIGF-I reference standards reliably indicate trends in IGF-I concentrations in rat plasma, the true amounts of rIGF-I present can only be assured in an assay using homologous tracer and reference peptides.

Journal of Endocrinology (1996) 149, 379–387

Abstract

The relative potency of IGF-I and the analogue LR³IGF-I to either promote growth or reverse catabolism in rats when administered by injection rather than by continuous infusion has been examined. LR³IGF-I has very low affinity for the IGF-binding proteins in the rat and hence is cleared from the circulation more quickly than is IGF-I. Experiments were performed in normal growing rats (150 g body weight) and in rats made catabolic by dexamethasone infusion (20 μg/day). IGFs or vehicle were delivered subcutaneously for 7 days either by continuous infusion via osmotic pumps or by injection once or twice daily at 320 and 400 μg/day in normal and catabolic rats respectively.

As expected, continuous infusion of IGFs showed greater efficacy than either of the injection modes especially in its anti-catabolic actions. When infused continuously LR³ IGF-I was generally 1·5- to 2-fold more potent than IGF-I for changes in body weight gain, visceral organ weights and feed use efficiency. Notably, LR³ IGF-I remained more potent than IGF-I in several of these effects even when the peptides were given by once-daily injection. In addition, N^τ-methylhistidine excretion by dexamethasone-treated rats was reduced to a threefold greater extent by injected LR³ IGF-I than by injected IGF-I. Notwithstanding these effects, LR³IGF-I was barely equipotent with IGF-I for reversal of carcass muscle loss in dexamethasone-treated rats.

Despite its more rapid clearance from the circulation, injected LR³IGF-I retains superior potency to injected IGF-I for several actions, albeit the potency is much reduced compared with continuous infusion. Thus our data indicate that use of IGF analogues which have low affinity for binding proteins may have advantages in potency and/or tissue specificity where IGFs are necessarily administered by injection.

Journal of Endocrinology (1996) 150, 77–84

ABSTRACT

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF-II and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP) were examined in rat serum during pregnancy and lactation. IGF-I concentrations determined after acid column chromatography of serum were low during the last third of pregnancy. IGF-II was undetectable in pregnant and non-pregnant rats. IGF-binding protein (IGFBP) concentrations, measured as high molecular mass activity in the IGF-I RIA and the IGF-II RRA of acid column fractions, paralleled the changes observed with IGF-I. Western ligand blot analysis of serum from non-pregnant rats revealed a 40–50 kDa IGFBP aligning with IGFBP-3, a smaller 28–30 kDa doublet and 24 kDa IGFBP. Serum from rats in late pregnancy lacked IGFBP-3, whereas the smaller IGFBP persisted during late pregnancy. IGFBP-3 reappeared in postpartum animals. The fall in serum IGF-I is consistent with a maternal catabolic state during late pregnancy which may maximize substrate availability for the developing fetus.

Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 127, 383–390

ABSTRACT

Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) in rat serum, lymph, amniotic fluid and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and in rat cell-conditioned media were characterized using a combination of gel-permeation chromatography, Western immunoblots and Westernligand analysis. Adult serum and abdominal lymph contained a 200 kDa IGFBP (the putative type-II IGF receptor) and a 150 kDa IGFBP that contained subunits of 40–50 kDa aligning with porcine IGFBP-3 on Western-ligand blots. In addition, both fluids contained the smaller IGFBPs: a 30 kDa IGFBP which was immunoreactive with IGFBP-2 antiserum, a 28 kDa IGFBP which electrophoresed with human IGFBP-1, and a 24 kDa IGFBP. In contrast, fetal serum and amniotic fluid lacked the 150 kDa and the 28 kDa IGFBPs. CSF contained only a 30 kDa IGFBP, but this was not IGFBP-2. Several IGFBPs were detected in media conditioned by liver, bone and muscle cells. Liver-derived cells and some hepatoma cell lines produced similar patterns upon ligand blot analysis, i.e. IGFBPs of 30 kDa (which reacted with IGFBP-2 antiserum), 28 kDa and 24 kDa. A hepatoma cell line, HTC, and a smooth muscle cell line contained only an IGFBP of 26 kDa. Skeletal muscle-derived cells (L6 myoblasts) produced a 28 kDa, a 26 kDa and a 24 kDa IGFBP. Both calvarial osteoblasts and osteogenic sarcoma cells produced an IGFBP of 30 kDa that cross-reacted with IGFBP-2 antisera. In addition, osteogenic sarcoma cells produced a 28 kDa and a 24 kDa IGFBP. These results allow us partially to classify and to compare the IGFBPs in rat fluids and those produced by cultured cells.

Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 127, 391–400

ABSTRACT

The relative potencies of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) and the N-terminal truncated derivative, des(1–3)IGF-I, have been compared in lit/lit mice. Injection of 30 μg IGF-I, 30 μg des(1–3)IGF-I or 3 μg des(1–3)IGF-I daily for 3 weeks increased total length and nose-rump length of the animals substantially more than in controls or animals treated with 3 μg IGF-I daily.

Body weight changes were not statistically significant. The lower dose of des(1–3)IGF-I, but not that of IGF-I, led to increases in kidney and heart weights relative to controls, while the higher dose of either IGF-I or des(1–3)IGF-I also increased the weights of liver, lungs and stomach. These results indicate that the higher potency of des(1–3)IGF-I demonstrated in cultured cells also applies in vivo to at least one strain of GH-deficient animals.

Journal of Endocrinology (1990) 127, 401–405

ABSTRACT

The clearance of labelled insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) has been measured in lambs following acid gel-permeation chromatography and immunoprecipitation of plasma samples. The half-lives obtained in three experiments were between 5 and 7 h. Chromatography at neutral pH on a Fractogel HW55(S) column demonstrated that all the radioactivity associated with undegraded peptide in plasma was bound to a carrier protein. Similar studies with IGF-I that had been reduced by prior dithiothreitol treatment showed that two-thirds of the initial radioactivity in plasma decayed with a much shorter half-life and represented material that did not bind to carrier proteins in plasma. The remaining radioactivity was both associated with a binding protein and exhibited the characteristically long half-life of the native growth factor. Analysis of plasma samples using reversed-phase chromatography demonstrated that the radioactive component with a long half-life was IGF-I while that with a short half-life had been reoxidized to an incorrect form of the growth factor. When reoxidation of reduced IGF-I was blocked by S-carboxymethylation before injection of the radioactive peptide into lambs, it remained unbound in plasma and had a 0·8–0·9 h half-life. We suggest that reduced IGF-I only associates with the binding protein upon oxidation and correct folding and that this association is necessary in order for IGF-I to have a relatively long half-life.

J. Endocr. (1988) 117, 183–189