title: IGFBP-2 at the interface of growth and metabolism--implications for childhood obesity.
abstract: The growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) axis is at the centre of normal human childhood growth. Six well characterised binding proteins (IGFBP-1 to IGFBP-6) act as general carriers of IGF-I, but they also modulate IGF-I bioavailability and activity in a tissue-specific, and developmentally appropriate, manner. Recent findings also point to several binding proteins possessing specific 'lGF-independent' actions and, in particular, there is now substantial evidence linking IGFBP-2 with nutritional status and insulin sensitivity. IGFBP-2 concentrations are reduced in obesity, and further reductions are seen in those with Type 2 diabetes. As IGFBP-2 is the major IGFBP expressed in infancy, and is also the predominant IGFBP produced from adipocytes, it is ideally positioned to act as a keystone between nutrition, growth and metabolism. Childhood obesity is associated with an increased risk of long-term morbidity and mortality, but the factors that determine which obese children will develop these long-term complications are not fully understood. IGFBP-2 may be integrally involved in the molecular processes that govern the development of obesity and subsequent weight-related disease. Within this manuscript, we explore the associations between IGFBP-2 and obesity with a particular emphasis on how an increased understanding of the role of IGFBP-2 in metabolism may lead to improvements in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Hormone Research and Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. matt.sabin@rch.org.au
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sabin
authors.forename: Vincenzo C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Walid J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Azar
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Yau
authors.forename: Wieland
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kiess
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Werther
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 / Q000502:physiology*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D018971:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2