title: Insulin-like growth factor I as a cardiac hormone: physiological and pathophysiological implications in heart disease.
abstract: Accumulating evidence has indicated that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) plays a specific role in the intricate cascade of events of cardiovascular function, in addition to its well established growth-promoting and metabolic effects. IGF-1 is believed to mediate many effects of growth hormone (GH), IGF-1 promotes cardiac growth, improves cardiac contractility, cardiac output, stroke volume, and ejection fraction. In humans, IGF-1 improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction by stimulating contractility and promoting tissue remodeling. Furthermore, IGF-1 facilitates glucose metabolism, lowers insulin levels, increases insulin sensitivity, and improves the lipid profile. These data suggest an attractive therapeutic potential of IGF-1. Both clinically observed and experimentally induced impairments of cardiac function are also found to be associated with abnormal IGF-1 levels. IGF-1 and its binding proteins have been considered as markers for the presence of certain cardiac abnormalities, indicating that IGF-1 may be a risk factor for certain cardiac disorders. The present review will emphasize the role of IGF-1 in the regulation of cardiac growth and function, and the potential pathophysiological role of IGF-1 in cardiac function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks 58203, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Samson
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sowers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000503:physiopathology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I