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INSULIN‐LIKE GROWTH FACTOR‐I (IGF‐I) AND IGF‐I BINDING PROTEIN IN THE FOLLICULAR FLUIDS OF GROWTH HORMONE TREATED PATIENTS
Author(s) -
BARRECA A.,
MINUTO F.,
VOLPE A.,
CECCHELLI E.,
CELLA F.,
MONTE P. DEL,
ARTINI P.,
GIORDANO G.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1990.tb00891.x
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , follicular fluid , follicular phase , insulin like growth factor , growth factor , ovulation , epidermal growth factor , insulin , hormone , growth hormone , chemistry , biology , receptor , oocyte , embryo , microbiology and biotechnology
SUMMARY The presence of GH, insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I), epidermal growth factor (EGF), oestradiol (E2) and progesterone (PG) were investigated in the fluids obtained from various ovarian follicles of seven patients in whom the induction of super‐ovulation was achieved only after GH (0.1 U/kg BW/day) was added to the gonadotrophin therapy. The follicular fluids of six patients responsive to treatment with gonadotrophin alone served as a control. In patients treated with combined therapy, the results demonstrated the presence in the follicular fluids of GH (M±SEM: 8.5±0.6 mU/1), E2 (771±38 nmol/l), and PG (16.4±0.7 pmol/l) in significantly higher concentrations compared to that in control follicles (6.2±0.8 mU/l, 681±30 nmol/l, and 14.4±0.6 pmol/l; P = 0.002, 0.012, 0.0001 respectively). Acid‐extractable IGF‐I (143±9 ng/ml) and EGF (3.9±0.3 ng/ml) concentrations were similar to those of control fluids (1 24±10 ng/ml and 2.9±0.7 ng/ml respectively) and were highly correlated with each other ( P <0.001), suggesting a stimulatory effect of EGF on the local IGF‐I production. A correlation between GH and IGF‐I ( n =51, r =0‐36), as well as between IGF‐I and PG ( n =48, r =0.77) and E2 ( n =48, r =0.55) was evident only in the follicular fluid of GH‐treated subjects. In patients with gonadotrophin‐resistant anovulation the significant correlation ( P < 0.01) between GH and IGF‐I suggests that GH administration influences the IGF‐I local concentration, and therefore, as IGF‐I becomes correlated with PG (PeO.001) and E2 ( P < 001), it promotes the growth and maturation of the follicles. In the same patients, no correlation was evident between LH and IGF‐ I, E2 and PG, while a significant correlation was present between FSH and IGF‐ I, as well as with PG ( P 0.001). The IGF‐I binding protein (BP) assay also demonstrated the presence of a considerable amount of IGF‐I binding sites in all fluids. The characterization of these IGF‐I binding sites demonstrated an IGF‐I‐BP complex of 35 kDa, similar to that found in the amniotic fluid and to the placental protein 12. These data support a role for GH and IGF‐I in the control of follicular growth and development in humans. This also supports the hypothesis of a proliferative and/or permissive effect of IGF‐I in ovarian tissue.