title: Hormonal control of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-5 production in the involuting mammary gland of the rat.
abstract: We have demonstrated a 50-fold increase in the concentration of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) in milk after 2 days of mammary involution induced by removal of the suckling young. IGFBP-5 was identified by its immunoreactivity with an antiserum to IGFBP-5 and was shown by in situ hybridization to be synthesized by the secretory epithelial cells undergoing apoptosis. Smaller increases in IGFBP-2 and -4 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were also evident, but neither protein could be detected on Western ligand blots of milk. Preliminary evidence failed to detect mRNAs for IGFBP-1, -3, or -6. The large increase in IGFBP-5 concentrations in milk from involuting mammary glands was inhibited by 90% if the dams received concurrent PRL injections for 2 days, but was unaffected by GH, progesterone, corticosterone, or an antiserum to insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). In lactating rats allowed to continue nursing their young, 17beta-estradiol failed to affect IGFBP-5 concentrations, whereas in animals that had half the teats sealed to prevent milk removal, IGFBP-5 concentrations increased 5- to 10-fold in the sealed gland compared with those in the contralateral gland where milk removal continued. The changes in IGFBP-5 concentrations in milk were accompanied by similar changes in steady state mRNA levels of IGFBP-5 in mammary tissue. We have previously shown that PRL inhibits apoptosis and involution of the mammary gland, whereas teat sealing has the opposite effect. We, therefore, propose that IGFBP-5 serves to inhibit IGF-I-mediated cell survival, but that it is normally suppressed by PRL and milk removal. Although IGFBP-5, when bound to extracellular matrix, augments the action of IGF, we believe that in the involuting mammary gland IGFBP-5 inhibits IGF action by interacting with casein micelles, which contain calcium phosphate nanoclusters, thereby preventing IGF interaction with IGF receptors. This is analogous to the interaction of IGFBP-5 with hydroxyapatite, which serves to sequester IGFs in bone. IGFBP-5 may, in fact, play a central role in inducing apoptosis, as it is also up-regulated in involuting prostate and thyroid glands as well as in atretic ovarian follicles.
authors.affiliation: Hannah Research Institute, Ayr, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tonner
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Travers
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Flint
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D018975:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 5 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D018975:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 5; D012333:RNA, Messenger