title: The insulin-like growth factor system in the circulation of patients with viral infections.
abstract: The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system was examined in the circulation of patients with viral infections (herpes simplex virus, HSV; cytomegalovirus, CMV; rotavirus, RV and adenovirus, AV). The serum concentrations of IGF-I, IGF-II and cortisol were measured by radioimmunoassay, while IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) were characterised by ligand-affinity blotting. Although both IGF-I and IGF-II concentrations were significantly lower in patients with viral infections (p<0.05) than in healthy persons, the IGF-II/IGF-I ratio was increased (p<0.05). No correlation between the concentration of IGF-I and IGF-II and the intensity of the antibody response to infection was observed. Ligand-affinity blotting demonstrated decreased amounts of IGFBP-3 (patients with HSV, CMV, AV and some patients with RV), increased IGFBP-2 (some patients with HSV and RV) and IGFBP-1 (patients with RV). Serum cortisol was significantly elevated (p<0.05) in patients infected with HSV, CMV and RV. The alterations observed can be interpreted as induction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and suppression of the growth hormone (GH)/IGF axis under the influence of viral infection.
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Application of Nuclear Energy (INEP), Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. ivona@inep.co.yu
authors.forename: Ivona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baricević
authors.forename: Olgica
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nedić
authors.forename: Judith Anna
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nikolić
authors.forename: Jasminka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nedeljković
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D013002:Somatomedins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D013006:Growth Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone