title: Insulin-like growth factors and IGF-binding proteins in bovine seminal plasma.
abstract: Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is an important factor for germ cell development and maturation of spermatozoa. Actions of IGFs are modulated by IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) that may, depending on their concentration and site of expression, inhibit or enhance effects of IGF-I. We characterized IGFs and IGFBPs in seminal plasma from bulls routinely used for artificial insemination (AI) and from bulls producing poor-quality semen (low mass and individual motility of spermatozoa). IGFs were measured by specific radioimmunoassay in 22 samples of seminal plasma from nine different AI bulls with high (> 76.8%), average (72.8-73.4%), or low (< 69.5%) nonreturn rate (NRR). IGF-I and IGF-II levels were 144 +/- 9 ng/ml (mean +/- SE; range, 79-238 ng/ml) and 144 +/- 10 ng/ml (range, 55-221 ng/ml), respectively, and did not correlate with NRRs. IGF-I concentrations in seminal plasma from bulls producing poor-quality semen (n = 10) were significantly (P < 0.05) greater (194 +/- 26 ng/ml; range, 94-370 ng/ml), whereas IGF-II levels were significantly (P < 0.05) lower (93 +/- 17 ng/ml; range, 38-183 ng/ml) than in AI bulls. Ligand blot analysis of seminal plasma for IGFBPs revealed the presence of a 38-/45-kDa doublet band and a 30-kDa IGFBP. These IGFBPs were identified as IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5, respectively, by immunoprecipitation using specific antibodies. In addition, a low amount of IGFBP-4 was detected in bovine seminal plasma by immunoprecipitation. There was a marked difference in the activity of IGFBPs between individual bulls, with a relatively small within-bull variance. The differences in IGFBP activities did not correlate with the fertilization capacity of the bulls in vivo or in vitro nor with immunoreactive IGF-I and IGF-II levels in seminal plasma. Our results demonstrate the presence of IGFBPs in bovine seminal plasma. In contrast to human seminal plasma, high activity of IGFBP-3 was detected in seminal plasma of some bulls, suggesting species-specific regulation of IGFBP activity by proteases.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Molekulare Tierzucht, Genzentrum, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoeflich
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Reichenbach
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grupp
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Föll
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000662:veterinary; D006801:Humans; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry*; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D013002:Somatomedins