Low levels of the 150-kD insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 ternary complex in patients with anorexia nervosa: effect of partial weight recovery.
OBJECTIVE
In healthy adults, serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF), IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), and acid-labile subunit (ALS) form a 150-kD ternary complex under the control of growth hormone (GH). Circulating IGF-I half-life, bioavailability, and endocrine actions depend on the ternary complex formation. Despite GH hypersecretion, serum IGF-I, IGFBP-3, and ALS levels have all been reported to be low in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), while the degree of ternary complex formation in AN is unknown.


METHODS
Serum ALS and 150-kD ternary complex formation were measured in 6 women with AN at the time of diagnosis and after partial weight recovery and in 6 healthy age-matched women serving as controls.


RESULTS
Patients with AN had low levels of ALS and IGFBP-3 contained in the 150-kD ternary complex and in the non-150-kD fraction. Following partial weight recovery, the 150-kD IGFBP-3 ternary complex was fully normalized, despite only partial normalization of serum GH and IGF-I levels. Patients with AN did not present with IGFBP-3 proteolysis different from controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The present data indicate a pivotal role of the nutritional status in the regulation of each of the three components of the 150-kDa ternary IGFBP-3 complex and in the formation of the complex itself.
Støving
René K
RK
Department of Endocrinology M and Center for Eating Disorders, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Hangaard
Jørgen
J
Hagen
Claus
C
Flyvbjerg
Allan
A
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; D010450:Endopeptidases; C080473:insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 protease