Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 levels in pediatric patients with growth hormone deficiency, eating disorders and acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) is altered in different diseases and might be used as an indication of its severity. The aims of our study were to investigate: (1) the developmental pattern of the serum IGFBP-2 concentration at birth and during childhood and adolescence; (2) whether the serum IGFBP-2 level could be a marker for the diagnosis and evolution of diseases where the growth hormone (GH)-IGF axis is altered, and (3) whether this binding protein shows a relationship with IGF-I, its free fraction, IGFBP-1 and -3. We report reference values for 55 normal full-term newborns and 221 normal children who were divided into 5 groups according to their Tanner stage. Serum levels were higher in newborns when compared with Tanner stages I-V (p < 0.001, ANOVA), with no further changes throughout development. Furthermore, we studied IGFBP-2 levels in 24 children with congenital GH deficiency (GHD), 26 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 75 obese children, and 60 girls with anorexia nervosa (AN) at diagnosis and during a follow-up period. IGFBP-2 at diagnosis was increased in GHD, ALL and AN, and decreased in obesity (p < 0.05, ANOVA). During the follow-up, IGFBP-2 concentrations tended to normalize. IGFBP-2 correlated positively with IGFBP-1 and negatively with IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in normal subjects and at diagnosis of the pathologies studied. Although IGFBP-2 functions are not well understood, these results suggest a possible role for this protein in diseases where the GH-IGF axis is altered.
Barrios
V
V
Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain.
Buño
M
M
Pozo
J
J
Muñoz
M T
MT
Argente
J
J
D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood; D002675:Child, Preschool; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis
D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I