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Characterization of receptors for insulin-like growth factors in human brain
N Sasaki1, K Nakamura, K Kubota
1Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
The structural properties of receptors for insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in human brain were studied. Brain membranes were incubated with 125I-IGF-I or II, cross-linked with disuccinimidyl suberate and subjected to electrophoresis under reducing conditions and autoradiography. Two proteins with apparent molecular weights of 120 and 220 kD were specifically labeled. The labeled proteins were immunoprecipitated with monoclonal antibody to type IIGF receptors, indicating that they represent alpha-subunit and its dimer of type IIGF receptor. The size of brain alpha-subunit was smaller than placental alpha-subunit (130 kD). Treatment with N-glycosidase F reduced the brain alpha-subunit from 120 to 95 kD and the placental alpha-subunit from 130 to 105 kD. Neuraminidase decreased the placental alpha-subunit from 130 to 125 kD, but it had no effect on the mobility of the brain alpha-subunit. Solubilized IGF-I receptors from placenta were retained by wheat germ agglutinin and concanavalin A columns, and eluted with the specific sugars. In contrast, solubilized IGF-I receptors from brain did not bind to these columns. These results indicate that human brains have only type IIGF receptors and that the molecular size of the alpha-subunit in brain receptors is smaller than in placental receptors. The size discrepancy may result from the differences in both protein and carbohydrate moieties.
The structural properties of receptors for insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in human brain were studied. Brain membranes were incubated with 125I-IGF-I or II, cross-linked with disuccinimidyl suberate and subjected to electrophoresis under reducing conditions and autoradiography. Two proteins with apparent molecular weights of 120 and 220 kD were specifically labeled. The labeled proteins were immunoprecipitated with monoclonal antibody to type IIGF receptors, indicating that they represent alpha-subunit and its dimer of type IIGF receptor. The size of brain alpha-subunit was smaller than placental alpha-subunit (130 kD). Treatment with N-glycosidase F reduced the brain alpha-subunit from 120 to 95 kD and the placental alpha-subunit from 130 to 105 kD. Neuraminidase decreased the placental alpha-subunit from 130 to 125 kD, but it had no effect on the mobility of the brain alpha-subunit. Solubilized IGF-I receptors from placenta were retained by wheat germ agglutinin and concanavalin A columns, and eluted with the specific sugars. In contrast, solubilized IGF-I receptors from brain did not bind to these columns. These results indicate that human brains have only type IIGF receptors and that the molecular size of the alpha-subunit in brain receptors is smaller than in placental receptors. The size discrepancy may result from the differences in both protein and carbohydrate moieties.