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Insulin-like growth factor I gene expression in vascular cells
P Delafontaine1, K E Bernstein, R W Alexander
1Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)
|May 1, 1991
Summary
Vascular cells, including smooth muscle and endothelial cells, produce and secrete Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF I). This finding is crucial for understanding cardiovascular development and disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Endocrinology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Insulin-like Growth Factor I (IGF I) mediates growth hormone effects on postnatal growth.
- IGF I is internalized by vascular endothelial cells, but its endogenous production in blood vessels is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the endogenous production of IGF I in vascular cells.
- To define the role of IGF I in the vessel wall's growth program.
Main Methods:
- Northern hybridizations were used to analyze IGF I messenger RNA transcripts in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells and bovine aortic endothelial cells.
- Ribonuclease protection assays confirmed IGF I gene expression in smooth muscle cells.
- Radioimmunoassay detected IGF I secretion by both cell types.
Main Results:
- Rat aortic smooth muscle cells expressed three IGF I mRNA transcripts (8.2, 1.7, and 0.9-1.2 kb).
- Bovine aortic endothelial cells expressed two IGF I transcripts (2.1 and 1.6 kb).
- Both endothelial and smooth muscle cells secreted IGF I into conditioned medium.
Conclusions:
- Vascular cells, including endothelial and smooth muscle cells, express and secrete IGF I.
- Characterizing IGF I gene expression in blood vessels is vital for understanding cardiovascular growth and disease.