Synthesis and characterization of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 photoprobes selective for the IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPS). photoaffinity labeling of the IGF-binding domain on IGFBP-2.

Elevated insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 levels are prognostic for the development of prostate and breast cancers and exacerbate the complications of diabetes. In each case, perturbation of the balance between IGF-1/2, the IGF-1 receptor, and the IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) leads to elevated IGF-1 sensitivity. Blockade of IGF action in these diseases would be clinically significant. Unfortunately, effective IGF antagonists are currently unavailable. The IGFBPs exhibit high affinity and specificity for the IGFs and serve as natural IGF antagonists, limiting their mitogenic/anti-apoptotic effects. As an initial step in designing IGFBP-based agents that antagonize IGF action, we have begun to analyze the structure of the IGF-binding site on IGFBP-2. To this end, two IGF-1 photoprobes, N(alphaGly1)-(4-azidobenzoyl)-IGF-1 (abG(1)IGF-1) and N(alphaGly1)-([2-6-(biotinamido)-2(p-azidobenzamido)hexanoamido]ethyl-1,3'-dithiopropionoyl)-IGF-1 (bedG(1)IGF-1), selective for the IGFBPs were synthesized by derivatization of the alpha-amino group of Gly(1), known to be part of the IGFBP-binding domain. Mass spectrometric analysis of the reduced, alkylated, and trypsin-digested abG(1)IGF-1.recombinant human IGFBP-2 (rhIGFBP-2) complex indicated photoincorporation near the carboxyl terminus of rhIGFBP-2, between residues 266 and 287. Mass spectrometric analysis of avidin-purified tryptic peptides of the bedG(1)IGF-1.rhIGFBP-2 complex revealed photoincorporation within residues 212-227. Taken together, these data indicate that the IGFBP-binding domain on IGF-1 contacts the distal third of IGFBP-2, providing evidence that the IGF-1-binding domain is located within the C terminus of IGFBP-2.

Elevated glucose increases mesangial cell sensitivity to insulin-like growth factor I.

To determine the effects of glucose on insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I)-induced mesangial cell (MC) proliferation, we have examined the relationships between IGF binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2) secretion and proliferation in murine MCs (MMCs). MMCs incubated in high glucose (HG, 25 mM) exhibited a 25-30% reduction in IGFBP-2 secretion compared with cells in normal glucose (NG, 5.6 mM). This loss was not due to cell surface binding; it correlated with a 3.1-fold decrease in IGFBP-2 mRNA. IGFBP-2 secretion was stimulated by IGF-I in NG but was unaltered in HG. Insulin treatment yielded similar results at 10-fold higher doses, indicating that this response is IGF-I receptor dependent. MMCs in HG displayed increased IGF-I-stimulated insulin receptor substrate-1/2 phosphorylation and activator protein-1 transcriptional activity compared with NG controls. Accordingly, although IGF-I was not proliferative in NG, it increased [3H]thymidine incorporation and cell number in HG to an extent proportional to the decrease in IGFBP-2. Thus hyperglycemia, as seen in diabetes, may increase MC IGF-I sensitivity by reducing IGFBP-2 expression, in turn increasing its proliferative and secretory responses and contributing to the development of diabetic glomerulosclerosis.

Activation of cJun NH2-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase by insulin.

One of insulin's many biological effects is the increased transcription of AP-1-regulated genes. cJun is the principal component of the AP-1 transcription complex, which is regulated by the newly discovered members of the MAPK superfamily referred to as cJun NH2-terminal kinases (JNKs) or stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs). We show that insulin stimulates a dose- and time-dependent increase in JNK activity in Rat 1 fibroblasts overexpressing human insulin receptors (Rat 1 HIR cells). Using two different polyclonal anti-JNK antibodies, JNK activity was measured after immunoprecipitation from whole cell extracts by phosphorylation of GSTcJun(1-79). Peak activation occurred 15 min after insulin addition, resulting in a 2.5-fold increase in GSTcJun(1-79) phosphorylation over unstimulated controls. Maximal JNK activation correlated with the onset of AP-1 DNA binding activity. Both insulin-stimulated JNK activity and insulin-induced AP-1 transcriptional activity were found to be Ras-dependent. These data suggest that in Rat 1 cells, JNK activation may play a role in insulin-regulated AP-1 transcriptional activity leading to a mitogenic response.