Diabetes, Vol 41, Issue 4 499-507, Copyright © 1992 by American Diabetes Association
Focal induction of IGF binding proteins in proximal tubules of diabetic rat kidney
LA Bach, AJ Cox, FA Mendelsohn, AC Herington, GA Werther and G Jerums
Department of Medicine, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
Diabetes-associated kidney enlargement is associated with increased kidney
insulinlike growth factor I (IGF-I) binding. IGF-I binds to the type I IGF
receptor, which mediates most of its actions, and to specific binding
proteins (IGFBPs), which modulate its actions. To explore the nature and
extent of IGF-I binding in the kidney, in vitro autoradiography was used to
map the distribution of IGF binding in control and diabetic rat kidney.
Specificity studies were performed with increasing concentrations of
unlabeled IGF-I, IGF-II, des(1-3)IGF-I (an IGF-I derivative that binds to
receptors normally but with decreased affinity to binding proteins), and
insulin. In control rats, diffuse binding was found throughout the kidney
with increased density in the papilla. Binding specificity in the cortex
and outer medulla was typical of the type I IGF receptor (IGF-I =
des[1-3]IGF-I greater than IGF-II much greater than insulin). Binding in
the outer medulla of diabetic kidney was typical of the type I IGF
receptor. A marked focal increase in proximal tubular binding occurred in
13 of 22 postpubertal diabetic rats. Binding specificity of the proximal
tubular binding was consistent with the predominance of an IGF binding
protein (IGF-I = IGF-II greater than des[1-3]IGF-I with minimal
displacement by insulin). Northern-blot analysis revealed increased IGFBP-1
and IGFBP-3 mRNA in cortical tissue from diabetic rats displaying increased
proximal tubular binding but not from diabetic rats not displaying this
phenomenon. As cell surface association of IGFBPs is linked to potentiation
of IGF activity, a possible mechanism for potentiation of local IGF-I
action may be provided.