title: IGFBP-3 and apoptosis--a license to kill?
abstract: Insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3, the major carrier of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in the circulation, was first isolated and characterised over a decade ago. More recently, IGFBP-3 has been assigned a role as a putative death-promoting factor, a function that appears, under certain circumstances, to be independent of its IGF-binding ability. This review examines the current evidence for a pro-apoptotic function for IGFBP-3 and speculates on its physiological significance.
authors.affiliation: Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia. abutt@med.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Butt
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002455:Cell Division; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53