Insulin-like Growth Factors in Health and Disease

Abstract

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) family of peptides, binding proteins, and receptors are ubiquitous and important for normal human growth and development. Modern techniques including specific radioimmunoassays, radioreceptor assays and recombinant DNA technology have improved our understanding of the role of IGFs in growth and development. In addition to enhancing our understanding of normal physiology, these techniques assess changes in these hormones, binding proteins, and receptors in pathologic conditions including growth retardation, acromegaly, malnutrition, diabetes, and malignancy. Further, these studies have led to improvement in the assessment of responses to certain therapies used in the treatment of these diseases and may lead to improvements in these therapies.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 in relation to prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia

“…It has been documented that IGF-1 can act in an autocrine and paracrine manner to promote normal growth and malignant cellular proliferation (Daughaday, 1990; LeRoith et al, 1992). The importance of IGF-1 as a major growthregulating molecule has been established for cells in culture (Goustin et al, 1986;LeRoith et al, 1992;Webster et al, 1996) and has also been suggested by studies in vivo (Ezzat and Melmed, 1991).…”

“…There was also some evidence for an interaction between high levels of testosterone and IGF-1 in relation to prostate cancer. This finding suggests that, in addition to testosterone, IGF-1 may increase the risk of prostate cancer in humans.Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is secreted mainly by the liver but is also produced in several other tissues in response to growth hormone (LeRoith et al, 1992). It has been documented that IGF-1 can act in an autocrine and paracrine manner to promote normal growth and malignant cellular proliferation (Daughaday, 1990;LeRoith et al, 1992).…”

“…IGF-1 and several of its binding proteins are produced by normal prostate cells (Cohen et al, 1991) as well as prostate cancer cells (Pietrzjowski et al, 1993;Kimura et al, 1996) and act locally through activation of IGF-1 receptors to stimulate cell proliferation (Angelloz-Nicoud and Binoux, 1995). In addition to its established autocrine and paracrine action, IGF-1 has important endocrine functions (LeRoith et al, 1992). However, the role, if any, of circulating IGF-1 in the aetiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer has not received sufficient attention.…”

“…Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is secreted mainly by the liver but is also produced in several other tissues in response to growth hormone (LeRoith et al, 1992). It has been documented that IGF-1 can act in an autocrine and paracrine manner to promote normal growth and malignant cellular proliferation (Daughaday, 1990; LeRoith et al, 1992).…”

“…It has been documented that IGF-1 can act in an autocrine and paracrine manner to promote normal growth and malignant cellular proliferation (Daughaday, 1990; LeRoith et al, 1992). The importance of IGF-1 as a major growthregulating molecule has been established for cells in culture (Goustin et al, 1986;LeRoith et al, 1992;Webster et al, 1996) and has also been suggested by studies in vivo (Ezzat and Melmed, 1991). IGF-1 and several of its binding proteins are produced by normal prostate cells (Cohen et al, 1991) as well as prostate cancer cells (Pietrzjowski et al, 1993; Kimura et al, 1996) and act locally through activation of IGF-1 receptors to stimulate cell proliferation (Angelloz-Nicoud and Binoux, 1995).…”