Role of Insulinlike Growth Factor 1 in Fetal Development and in the Early Postnatal Life of Premature Infants

Abstract

The neonatal period of very preterm infants is often characterized by a difficult adjustment to extrauterine life, with an inadequate nutrient supply and insufficient levels of growth factors, resulting in poor growth and a high morbidity rate. Long-term multisystem complications include cognitive, behavioral, and motor dysfunction as a result of brain damage as well as visual and hearing deficits and metabolic disorders that persist into adulthood. Insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a major regulator of fetal growth and development of most organs especially the central nervous system including the retina. Glucose metabolism in the developing brain is controlled by IGF-1 which also stimulates differentiation and prevents apoptosis. Serum concentrations of IGF-1 decrease to very low levels after very preterm birth and remain low for most of the perinatal development. Strong correlations have been found between low neonatal serum concentrations of IGF-1 and poor brain and retinal growth as well as poor general growth with multiorgan morbidities, such as intraventricular hemorrhage, retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and necrotizing enterocolitis. Experimental and clinical studies indicate that early supplementation with IGF-1 can improve growth in catabolic states and reduce brain injury after hypoxic/ischemic events. A multicenter phase II study is currently underway to determine whether intravenous replacement of human recombinant IGF-1 up to normal intrauterine serum concentrations can improve growth and development and reduce prematurity-associated morbidities.

Retinal energy demands control vascular supply of the retina in development and disease: The role of neuronal lipid and glucose metabolism

“…O 2 -independent factors, such as angiopoietins/Tie2 (Ramsauer and D’Amore, 2002) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) (Smith et al, 1999), also participate in the physiological vascularization of the retina. More discussion concerning the role of IGF-1 can be found in reviews (Hellström et al, 2013, 2016; Hellstrom et al, 2001; Liegl et al, 2016a; Liegl et al, 2016b; Lofqvist et al, 2009; Wu et al, 2010). …”

Methyl donors dietary supplementation to gestating sows diet improves the growth rate of offspring and is associating with changes in expression and DNA methylation of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 gene

“…The insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) is a well‐known regulator for foetal development and postnatal growth (Hellström et al., ). The growth‐promoting effects of MD on foetus are thought to be mediated through IGF‐1 (Apicella et al., ; Lee, Kim, Park, & Kang, ; Senesi, Luzi, Montesano, Mazzocchi, & Terruzzi, ).…”

Insulin‐like growth factor 1 and life‐history evolution of passerine birds

“…35% that of wild type; Lupu et al., ). In humans too, it has been quite clearly shown that lower plasma IGF‐1 levels or defects in the IGF‐1r gene are associated with either retarded or failed intrauterine growth of the foetus, as well as depressed postnatal growth (Hellström et al., ; Ong, Kratzsch, Kiess, & Dunger, ).…”