Functional alterations of type I insulin-like growth factor receptor in placenta of diabetic rats

The presence of type I insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) receptors on placental membranes led to the hypothesis that these receptors might play a critical role in the rapid growth of this organ. Diabetes induces feto-placental overgrowth, but it is not known whether it modifies IGF-I receptor activity in fetal and/or placental tissues. To answer this question, we have partially purified and characterized placental receptors from normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. In normal rats, binding of 125I-IGF-I to a 140 kDa protein corresponding to the alpha subunit of the receptor was observed in cross-linking experiments performed under reducing conditions. Stimulation by IGF-I induces the autophosphorylation of a 105 kDa phosphoprotein representing the beta subunit of the receptor. In rats made hyperglycaemic and insulinopenic by streptozotocin injection on day 1 of pregnancy, placental IGF-I receptor-binding parameters were not different from controls on day 20 of pregnancy. In contrast, the autophosphorylation and kinase activity of IGF-I receptors of diabetic rats were increased 2-3-fold in the basal state and after IGF-I stimulation. The present study indicates that the rat placental IGF-I receptor possesses structural characteristics similar to that reported for fetal-rat muscle, and suggests that the high-molecular-mass beta subunit could represent a type of receptor specifically expressed during prenatal development. In addition, it clearly demonstrates that diabetes induces functional alterations in IGF-I receptor kinase activity that may play a major role in the placental overgrowth in diabetic pregnancy.