title: Decreased ternary complex formation and predominance of a 29 kDa IGFBP-3 fragment in human fetal serum.
abstract: Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) has been proposed to be important in the endocrine control of fetal growth in humans, although serum IGF-I concentrations are 10-fold lower than during rapid pubertal growth. However, the bioavailability of IGF-I in fetal serum may be increased by changes in the specific IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs). We have recently suggested that the bioavailability of circulating IGF-I is increased in the human fetus due to the molar excess of IGF-I plus IGF-II relative to IGFBP-3 as well as the increased concentrations of IGFBP-2, which does not form a long-lived ternary complex. We have presently studied ternary complex formation between IGF, IGFBP-3, and acid labile subunit (ALS) to further assess if IGF-I bioavailability is increased in human fetal serum. In 19-35 week gestation fetal sera, a markedly decreased formation of the ternary complex was demonstrated by the general absence of IGFBP-3 (detected by Western immunoblotting) in the approximately 130-150 kDa ternary complex after neutral size chromatography. The predominant form of IGFBP-3 in fetal serum was a 29 kDa fragment, which, following deglycosylation by Endoglycosidase-F, was demonstrated to consist of a approximately 20 kDa protein core. Despite the predominance of the 29 kDa IGFBP-3 fragment, we have previously demonstrated that the IGFBP-3 protease activity is not increased in fetal serum, in contrast to pregnancy or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) sera.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stangenberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Westgren
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001682:Biological Availability; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002845:Chromatography / Q000379:methods; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D017038:Mannosyl-Glycoprotein Endo-beta-N-Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000494:pharmacology; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D017038:Mannosyl-Glycoprotein Endo-beta-N-Acetylglucosaminidase