title: Is there a medical need to explore the clinical use of insulin-like growth factor I?
abstract: Cloning of the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) gene led to the development in 1987 of recombinant IGF-I available for clinical use. Trials were started targeting endocrine, metabolic and neurological disorders, and beneficial results have been demonstrated in IGF-I deficiency states caused by IGF-I gene deletion and growth hormone (GH) receptor deficiency, type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and severe insulin resistance syndromes. Results of equivocal benefit have also been reported in osteoporosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Recent encouraging data using the IGF-I-IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) complex in diabetes mellitus suggest that this preparation may eventually replace recombinant free IGF-I. The lack of an established therapeutic indication for IGF-I has resulted in its supplies being severely limited. It will probably be decided during the next decade whether use of IGF-I or the IGF-I-IGFBP-3 complex becomes firmly established as an accepted endocrine therapy.
authors.affiliation: St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK. m.o.savage@mds.qmw.ac.uk
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camacho-Hübner
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Dunger
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ranke
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I