The expressions of insulin-like growth factors, their receptors, and binding proteins are related to the mechanism regulating masseter muscle mass in the rat.

OBJECTIVE: The mechanism regulating skeletal muscle mass is unclear. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the extent to which insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), their receptors (IGFRs), and binding proteins (IGFBPs) are involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass. DESIGN: We measured the mRNA expression levels for IGFs, IGFRs, and IGFBPs in the rat masseter muscle hypertrophied by oral administration of clenbuterol for 3 weeks and determined the correlations between the weight of masseter muscle and the mRNA expression levels. RESULTS: The mRNA expression levels for IGF-I and II, IGFR1 and 2, and IGFBP4 and 6 showed clenbuterol-induced elevations and positive correlations with the weight of masseter muscle. That for IGFBP3 only exhibited a clenbuterol-induced decrease and a strong negative correlation with the weight of masseter muscle. The mRNA expression levels for IGFBP2 and 5 showed no significant changes between the control and clenbuterol groups, and no significant correlations. IGFBP1 mRNA was not detectable. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that IGF-I, II, IGFR1 and 2, and IGFBP3, 4 and 6 are related to the mechanism regulating masseter muscle mass in the rat.