Insulin-like growth factor binding protein production and regulation in fetal rat lung cells

Igf2 deficiency results in delayed lung development at the end of gestation

IGF-II is a polypeptide hormone with structural homology to insulin and IGF-I. IGF-II plays an important role in fetal growth as mice with targeted disruption of the IGF-II gene (Igf2) exhibit severe growth retardation. The role of IGFs in the fetal lung has been suggested by several studies, including those that have identified IGF mRNA expression, and that of their receptors and binding proteins in the lungs at different stages of development. In this study, we used mice carrying a null mutation of Igf2 (Igf2-/- mice) to determine whether the absence of IGF-II had any effect in fetal lung maturation. Our results showed that the lungs of Igf2-/- fetuses had thicker alveolar septae and poorly organized alveoli when compared with those of Igf2+/+ on d 17.5 and 18.5 of gestation. These morphological alterations may be the result of exposure to lower levels of glucocorticoids because plasma corticosterone levels were significantly lower in Igf2-/- mothers compared with wild-type controls. In support of this, fetuses from homozygous knockout matings, where mothers were treated with 15 microg/ml corticosterone, and Igf2-/- fetuses obtained from heterozygous matings had similar lung histology to those of wild-type fetuses. Finally, we found that IGF-I and SP-B mRNA levels were up-regulated in the lungs of Igf2-/- fetuses at the end of gestation. This study suggests that Igf2 plays an important role in the development of the fetal lung and may affect fetal lung maturation by regulating maternal factors, such as corticosterone levels, during pregnancy.

Growth factors in lung development

Organized and coordinated lung development follows transcriptional regulation of a complex set of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions resulting in a blood-gas interface ready for physiologic gas exchange at birth. Transcription factors, growth factors, and various other signaling molecules regulate epithelial-mesenchymal interactions by paracrine and autocrine mechanisms. Transcriptional control at the earliest stages of lung development results in cell differentiation and cell commitment in the primitive lung bud, in essence setting up a framework for pattern formation and branching morphogenesis. Branching morphogenesis results in the formation of the conductive airway system, which is critical for alveolization. Lung development is influenced at all stages by spatial and temporal distribution of various signaling molecules and their receptors and also by the positive and negative control of signaling by paracrine, autocrine, and endocrine mechanisms. Lung bud formation, cell differentiation, and its interaction with the splanchnic mesoderm are regulated by HNF-3beta, Shh, Nkx2.1, HNF-3/Forkhead homolog-8 (HFH-8), Gli, and GATA transcription factors. HNF-3beta regulates Nkx2.1, a transcription factor critical to the formation of distal pulmonary structures. Nkx2.1 regulates surfactant protein genes that are important for the development of alveolar stability at birth. Shh, produced by the foregut endoderm, regulates lung morphogenesis signaling through Gli genes expressed in the mesenchyme. FGF10, produced by the mesoderm, regulates branching morphogenesis via its receptors on the lung epithelium. Alveolization and formation of the capillary network are influenced by various factors that include PDGF, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and retinoic acid. Epithelial-endothelial interactions during lung development are important in establishing a functional blood-gas interface. The effects of various growth factors on lung development have been demonstrated by gain- or loss-of-function studies in null mutant and transgenic mice models. Understanding the role of growth factors and various other signaling molecules and their cellular interactions in lung development will provide us with new insights into the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and disorders of lung morphogenesis.

Insulin-like growth factor and interleukin-1beta levels and subsequent fetal size in response to chronic Porphyromonas gingivalis exposure in the pregnant rabbit

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to describe maternal insulin-like growth factor, interleukin-1beta, and fetal size in a rabbit model of Porphyromonas gingivalis exposure.

STUDY DESIGN

With the use of a previously described model, 8 New Zealand White rabbits were exposed to either P gingivalis or media during pregnancy and killed at term. Kit and placenta weight were compared between groups. Doe serum insulin-like growth factor system protein and interleukin-1beta levels were compared by analysis of variance for repeated measures; a probability value of <.05 was considered to be significant.

RESULTS

No significant differences in kit and placental weights between exposed and unexposed groups were observed. Insulin-like growth factor system proteins increased significantly as pregnancy progressed, but there were no significant differences in insulin-like growth factor system proteins or interleukin-1beta between exposed and unexposed does.

CONCLUSION

Chronic P gingivalis exposure does not disrupt insulin-like growth factor system proteins or systemic inflammation and does not impair fetal growth in the pregnant rabbit. Gestational age changes in doe insulin-like growth factor system proteins occur, and the timing of exposure to oral pathogens may influence fetal growth.

Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines regulate insulin-like growth factor binding protein production by fetal rat lung fibroblasts

The inflammatory response of the lung to noxious factors contributes to the pathogenesis of chronic lung injury. Inflammatory mediators regulate the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system, a key modulator of lung fibroblast proliferation. The activity of IGFs is regulated by IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) secreted by lung cells. To investigate the regulation of lung fibroblast IGFBPs by cytokines, we exposed 19-d fetal rat lung fibroblasts to various pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators. IGFBP abundance in conditioned medium (CM) was measured by ligand blot and RNA transcript abundance by RNase protection assays. Fetal rat lung fibroblasts exposed to interleukin (IL)-1beta or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha for 48 h demonstrated increased abundance of CM IGFBP-3 (5.9- and 4.7-fold increases for IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, respectively) and IGFBP-4 (5.7- and 7.4-fold increases for IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, respectively) that was accompanied by a small increase in IGFBP-4 mRNA and a larger increase in IGFBP-3 mRNA abundance. IGFBP-4 specific proteolysis was examined in CM collected from fetal rat lung fibroblasts after incubation with serum-free medium (SFM), IL-1beta, or TNF-alpha for 48 h. Cell-free aliquots of SFM-CM incubated at 37C for 24 h showed a 65% decrease in IGFBP-4 abundance that was inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline. In contrast, CM from cells exposed to IL-1beta or TNF-alpha incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h did not show a significant decrease in IGFBP-4 abundance unless IGF-I was present during the cell-free incubation. Addition of IGFBP-3 to aliquots of SFM-CM reversed the IGF-I-mediated acceleration of IGFBP-4 proteolysis. Similarly, addition of IGFBP-3 to cells in culture increased the accumulation of CM IGFBP-4. These results demonstrate that cytokines regulate IGFBP production and clearance by fetal lung cells and suggest a mechanism by which cytokines regulate cell proliferation following lung injury.

Dexamethasone administration to newborn mice alters mucosal and muscular morphology in the ileum and modulates IGF-I localization

Glucocorticoid exposure accelerates the maturation of small bowel mucosa. We hypothesized that IGF-I, a mitogen and differentiating peptide expressed in small bowel, mediates steroid-induced change within the developing ileum. To investigate this possibility, we intraperitoneally administered 1 microg/gm/d of dexamethasone (DEX) or equal volumes of saline to litter-mate newborn mice. The animals were killed on d 1-3 of life and their ilea were harvested and prepared for microscopy. Tissue sections of ileum were examined for morphologic analyses, mucin staining, immunolocalization of IGF-I and -II, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), and in situ hybridization for IGF-I transcripts. Morphologic comparisons showed increases in goblet cell number, total cell number, and TUNEL-positive cells within the mucosa of DEX-treated animals. In contrast, the number of smooth muscle nuclei per cross-section was unchanged with DEX treatment despite a reduction in the number of PCNA-positive nuclei and an increased bowel circumference. These findings suggest the muscularis stretches to accommodate increasing bowel diameter. IGF-I peptide was localized to the mesenchyme of all control animals. After 48 h of DEX treatment, IGF-I was detected in the epithelia whereas mesenchymal IGF-I localization appeared diminished. In situ hybridization analyses for IGF-I transcripts showed no differences in localization between the groups. We conclude that DEX administration differentially affects adjacent tissues in the newborn ileum and that the associated changes in IGF-I localization are consistent with its participation in this process.

Regulation of the insulin-like growth factor axis by increasing cell number in intestinal epithelial (IEC-6) cells

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) production as a function of cell number by intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) was regulated such that the IGFBP-2 concentration in 24-h conditioned medium reached a maximum, which was maintained despite increasing cell number. Northern blot analysis revealed that this effect could largely be attributed to decreasing IGFBP-2 mRNA. In contrast to IGFBP-2, secretion of IGF-II and accumulation of IGF-II mRNA by IEC-6 cells correlated positively with cell number. The highest level of IGF-II protein detected by immunoblotting of conditioned medium occurred in post-confluent cells. IGF-I stimulated the cells to grow to a high cellular density and inhibited IGFBP-2 secretion in a concentration-dependent fashion. We conclude that expression of IGF-II and IGFBP-2 are regulated in IEC-6 cells by cellular density, and IGF-II may act as a survival factor at high cell density.

Peptide growth factors regulate insulin-like growth factor binding protein production by fetal rat lung fibroblasts

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBPs) are expressed in fetal lung and may provide important post-translational regulation of IGF-induced mitogenesis during lung organogenesis. Because of the observation that growth factors can control cell growth through regulation of IGFBPs, we examined IGFBP production by fetal lung fibroblasts following stimulation by peptide growth factors important for fetal lung growth and development. Fetal lung fibroblasts were cultured in serum-free medium supplemented with various growth factors for up to 48 h, and IGFBPs in conditioned medium (CM) were analyzed by ligand blot and immunoblot techniques. Accumulation of CM IGFBP-3 was increased and IGFBP-2 decreased by incubation with either keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) or epidermal growth factor (EGF). The effect of these factors on IGFBP-3 accumulation increased with time but the effects of KGF on CM IGFBP-2 decreased over 48 h of incubation. CM IGFBP-4 was increased by 24 and 48 h incubation with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF; 2.1- and 2.7-fold increases at 24 and 48 h, respectively) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB; 4.2- and 14.9-fold increases at 24 and 48 h, respectively), and 48 h incubation with EGF (6.3-fold increase). In 48-h coincubation experiments, EGF in combination with PDGF-BB or with bFGF, and bFGF in combination with PDGF-BB, resulted in IGFBP-4 accumulations twice that expected from a summation of the effects of either growth factor alone (IGFBP-4 increased 9.8-, 4.0-, and 1.8-fold by PDGF-BB, EGF, and bFGF, respectively; and 27.1-, 37.3-, and 13.0-fold by PDGF-BB plus EGF, PDGF-BB plus bFGF, and EGF plus bFGF, respectively). These results suggest synergistic effects of these growth factors on IGFBP-4 accumulation in fetal lung fibroblast CM. Because IGFBPs are known to regulate DNA synthesis, we speculate that peptide growth factors may alter cell proliferation in fetal lung, in part through their effect on IGFBPs.

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins in air- and 85% oxygen-exposed adult rat lung

Expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I and its type I receptor is increased in the adult rat lung exposed to 85% O2. We hypothesized that there would be a parallel up- and downregulation of growth-stimulating and growth-inhibiting IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), respectively. The normal adult rat lung expresses mRNAs for IGFBP-2, -3, -4, -5, and -6 but not for IGFBP-1. O2 exposure for 6 or 14 days reduced IGFBP-3 and -6 and increased IGFBP-4 mRNA abundance. IGFBP-5 mRNA was reduced at 6 days but increased at 14 days. IGFBP-4 mRNA was localized to perivascular and peribronchial interstitial cells and IGFBP-5 mRNA to airway and alveolar epithelial cells. IGFBP-2, -4, and -5 immunolocalized to airway epithelial cells in normal lung and to perivascular exudates after 6 days in 85% O2. IGFBP-2 was diffusely increased throughout the lung tissue only after a 6-day exposure. IGFBP-5 was reduced after a 6-day exposure but was increased and widely distributed after 14 days. IGFBP-4 increased over airway epithelium and subepithelial cells after 6 days and over perivascular interstitial cells after 14 days of 85% O2. These data are consistent with the predicted changes for IGFBPs on O2 exposure except that the generally growth-inhibitory IGFBP-4 was increased at sites of active cell proliferation.

Expression of the insulin-like growth factor system in postpneumonectomy lung growth

The insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) may play an important role in postpneumonectomy compensatory lung growth by translating hormonal inputs and mechanical forces into cellular proliferation signals. We examined the mRNA abundance of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) in lungs of rats on postoperative days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 following left pneumonectomy (PNX) or shamoperation (SC) and in normal animals (CON). There was no difference in the abundance of lung IGF-I mRNA (measured by Northern analysis) or serum IGF-I (measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA)) between SC and PNX animals. IGF-II mRNA abundance was initially decreased following PNX (73% decrease compared to SC animals on day 1, p < .05) and then rose to approach SC group values on subsequent days. Transcripts for IGFBP-2, -3, -4, -5, and -6 were decreased in both the SC and PNX groups compared to CON animals on the day following pneumonectomy, then rose back to baseline by postoperative day 2-3. Tissue IGFBPs, measured by ligand blot analyses, were not different in either the SC or PNX groups. In contrast, all serum IGFBP bands were increased on postoperative day 1 following either sham or PNX surgery. In addition, serum IGFBP-4 was increased in PNX animals compared to the SC group on days 1 and 2 (increase of 38% and 78%, respectively, p < .05). We conclude that the changes observed in lung IGF and IGFBP expression following pneumonectomy do not represent major.

Perinatal expression of IGFBPs in rat lung and its hormonal regulation in fetal lung explants

To gain more insight into the regulation of the expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBPs) in the lung, the developmental patterns of the abundance of the mRNAs encoding IGFBPs were measured in the perinatal rat lung and in explant cultures of fetal rat lung. In hormone-free explant cultures, the levels of the mRNAs encoding IGFBP-2 through -5 changed with a pattern similar to that occurring in vivo (although in the case of IGFBP-3 to -5 at a faster rate), indicating that the developmental regulation of the expression of these IGFBPs in perinatal lung is mimicked in the explants. For the IGFBP-6 mRNA level, the pattern in vitro differed from that in vivo. In the explant cultures, dexamethasone decreased the production of IGFBP-3 and -4 and decreased the abundance of the mRNAs encoding IGFBP-2 to -5 but increased the abundance of IGFBP-6 mRNA. These observations indicate that glucocorticoids may be involved in the developmental regulation of the expression of these components of the IGF system and that the IGF system may be involved in the physiological effects of glucocorticoids on lung development. No appreciable effects of 3,3',5-triiodothyronine on the expression of the IGFBPs were observed.