Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 inhibits growth of experimental colocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND
We have previously shown that an important cell growth regulatory protein, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) is depleted in peripheral blood after open--but not laparoscopic--surgery. We have also demonstrated that IGFBP-3 induces apoptosis of human colon cancer cells in vitro. We report here the effect of IGFBP-3 on the growth of colonic epithelial cells in vivo.


METHODS
Two tumor models were used: chemically induced carcinogenesis with azoxymethane (AOM) and inoculation of syngeneic colon cancer cells. In AOM-induced carcinogenesis, wild type (WT) and IGFBP-3 transgenic (IGFBP-3-TG) CD1 mice were injected with AOM and the number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in the colon studied. In the syngeneic model, BALB/c mice were inoculated with CT26 cells. The control group received saline, while the test group was administered IGFBP-3 weekly. Tumor weight was assessed 2.5 weeks after establishment.


RESULTS
The number of aberrant crypt foci was significantly lower in IGFBP-3 transgenic mice (1.3 +/- 1.1) compared to WT controls (6.8 +/- 6.0) (P < .001). Further, CT26 tumors were significantly smaller in BALB/c mice that received IGFBP-3 (0.364 +/- 0.165 g) than in WT controls (0.742 +/- 0.261 g) (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
IGFBP-3 inhibits the development of colonic tumors in experimental models and may hold promise as an adjuvant therapy for patients with neoplasms.
Kirman
Irena
I
Department of Surgery, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Poltoratskaia
Natalia
N
Sylla
Patricia
P
Whelan
Richard L
RL
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D011994:Recombinant Proteins