Identification of binding sites for an insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) in the median eminence of the rat brain by quantitative autoradiography.
The microanatomical location of IGF-I binding in the rat brain was determined by in vitro autoradiography with slide-mounted sections of frozen brain. Sections incubated in 0.1 nM [125I]-iodo-IGF-I produced a dense grain concentration in regions of the autoradiographic image corresponding to the external palisade zone of the median eminence; other hypothalamic regions were not so heavily labeled. This reaction was significantly reduced in the presence of 100 nM IGF-I. Measurement of binding by computer digital image analysis of autoradiographic images showed that specific binding for IGF-I in the median eminence was 41.3 +/- 8 X 10(-3) fmol/mm2 (mean +/- SEM); nonspecific binding was 11.9 +/- 1.8 X 10(-3) fmol/mm2. In contrast, specific binding to other hypothalamic regions was uniformly lower. In a separate experiment, 1000 nM unlabeled insulin was added. Without insulin, specific binding was 23 +/- 0.9 X 10(-3) fmol/mm2; nonspecific binding was 8 +/- 0.5 X 10(-3) fmol/mm2. In the presence of 1000 nM unlabeled insulin, specific binding for [125I]-iodo-IGF-I was 23 +/- 1 X 10(-3) fmol/mm2. The results suggest that a high concentration of receptors for an IGF-I-like molecule is present in the median eminence.
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017451:Receptors, Somatomedin; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000378:metabolism*
D007328:Insulin; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017451:Receptors, Somatomedin; D013002:Somatomedins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I