The growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) axis is an essential component of the hypothalamic-pituitary growth hormone axis and plays a crucial role in childhood growth and development. Disruptions and abnormalities in the GH/IGF-1 signaling pathway and its pathways typically manifest as short stature in children. Children with short stature often undergo GH stimulation testing and IGF-1 level measurements to differentiate growth hormone deficiency (GHD) from other causes of growth delay. This article aims to analyze and elucidate the values of GH stimulation testing and IGF-1 measurement, providing reference for the diagnosis of GHD in children.
Child ; Humans ; Growth Hormone/metabolism* ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/metabolism* ; Insulin-Like Peptides ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; Human Growth Hormone/metabolism* ; Dwarfism, Pituitary/diagnosis*

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) is closely associated with cardiovascular diseases. Low IGF-I level and high insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) level in serum can be used as a marker in predicting the long term morbidity and mortality of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The article reviews the recent advances in IGFBP-1 in the prognosis of AMI.
Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Myocardial Infarction ; blood ; Prognosis

Since its discovery in 1921, insulin has been considered to be the most important hormone in the regulation of glucose and fat metabolism. In recent years, studies have revealed that besides metabolism regulation, insulin can also act as a growth factor like hormone in regulating multiple processes and various cellular activities in the process of wound healing. This review summarizes the role of insulin in wound healing and its underlying mechanism.
Glucose ; metabolism ; Growth Hormone ; metabolism ; physiology ; Humans ; Insulin ; physiology ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; physiology ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; physiology ; Wound Healing ; physiology

BACKGROUND: LB03002[somatropin(rDNA origin) for injectable suspension] is a sustained release formulation of human growth hormone to be administered by once-a-week subcutaneous injections. Less frequent administration could provide a considerable improvement on compliance and convenience. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and safety of a LB03002 administered in children with GHD once weekly for 6 months. DESIGN: Open-label, active-controlled, randomised, parallel group, phase II study. PATIENTS: A total of forty-two naive or previously treated, pre-pubertal children with GHD, confirmed by two different GH provocation tests, were randomised and received either LB03002(0.3 or 0.5 mg/kg/week) or Eutropin(TM)(daily rhGH, 0.3 mg/ kg/week divided 6 times a week) for 6 months. RESULTS: The pre-treatment(HV0) and 6-month annualised height velocity(HV6) are shown(mean+/-SD) in the table below: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- LB03002 LB03002 EutropinTM 0.3 mg/kg/week 0.5 mg/kg/week 0.3 mg/kg/week ----------------------------------------------------------------------- N 10 13 13 HV0 3.1+/-1.0 3.9+/-1.5 3.0+/-1.1 HV6 9.3+/-2.3 10.2+/-2.3 11.1+/-2.5 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Mean IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were significantly elevated from baseline values in all the study groups. LB03002 at all dose groups was safe and well tolerated. No clinically relevant adverse events or abnormal laboratory parameters were observed and there were no remarkable differences between groups or changes over time within groups regarding parameters for glucose and lipid metabolism including fasting glucose and haemoglobin A1c. Injection site reactions were mostly mild to occasionally moderate and resolved within 2 to 3 days post-dose without intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with LB03002 by weekly administration of the doses tested in the study resulted in comparable safety and efficacy to daily rhGH in pre-pubertal children with GHD.
Child* ; Compliance ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Growth Hormone* ; Human Growth Hormone* ; Humans* ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Lipid Metabolism

Transgender is the severe type of gender identity disorder. The prevalence rate of transgender is reported to occur to about 1 out of 50,000 men, and about 1 out of 10,000 women. As for Korea, it is estimated to have about 1400 transgender patients. Lately, not only the numbers of them are increasing but also they are influencing our society increasingly. As for female transgender patients, they take female hormone for a long term before and even after the operation to maintain their physical identity of female. We have analyzed insulin like growth factor-1(IGF-1), insulin like growth factor protein binding-3(IGFBP-3), female hormone, male hormone and thyroid hormone in female transgender patients who have undergone the gender reassignment operation. We examined the changes of hormone level due to having female hormone steadily, and also examined how the steady use of the hormone could affect body organs. As for IGF-1, it showed significantly low in the female transgender group compared to control (319.30+/-37.4 vs 539+/-55.0, p<0.05). As for IGFBP-3, there was no significant difference (2859+/-200.3 vs 2607+/-262.5, p>0.05). As for female hormone, there was no significant differences in FSH(13.42+/-13.8 vs 8.95+/-3.5, p>0.05), estradiol(104.41+/-97.1 vs 121.68+/-60.2, p>0.05), and LH(7.62+/-5.6 vs 7.4+/-3.3, p>0.05). Even in comparison of testosterone, there was no significant differences(0.23+/-0.09 vs 0.33+/-1.33, p>0.05). As for thyroid hormone, there was no significant differences in TSH and free T4(1.34+/-0.94 vs 1.71+/-0.12, 1.4+/-0.37 vs 1.46+/-0.17, p>0.05). Therefore, this study concludes that apart from the decreased level of IGF-1, the possible endocrine side- effect problem due to female hormone seems to be low because there was no differences of female, male, and thyroid hormone level compared with normal female. Further study will be required in metabolic change including bone metabolism occurred by decrease level of IGF-I.
Female* ; Gender Identity ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Korea ; Male ; Metabolism ; Prevalence ; Testosterone ; Thyroid Gland

The effects of growth hormone(GH) deficiency and recombinant human GH replacement(0.5IU/kg per week) on bone mineral metabolism in 21GH-deficiency children were studied. All children had significantly reduction of bone density(Z score;-1.4+-0.71). After 1 month of therapy, the levels of serum insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1), osteocalcin(OC) and carboxyterminal propeptede of type 1 procollagen(PICP) were significantly elevated. But IGFBP-3 were not shown to change significantly. The changes in serum levels of PICP during the first month of recombinant human GH treatment were positively related to growth velocity, whereas the changes in IGF-1 and OC during the first month of therapy were not. We conclude that the recombinant human GH treatment caused significant modifications of mineral metablism and that the measurement of the changes of biochemical markers of bone metablism espacially PICP may be a useful tool in prediction improved growth velocity during long term GH replacement therpy.
Biomarkers ; Bone Remodeling ; Child ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Metabolism ; Miners

Background: The insulin-like growth factors, IGF-I and
Animals ; Calcimycin ; Calcium ; Egtazic Acid ; Extracellular Fluid ; Glucose ; Hepatocytes ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Liver ; Metabolism ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Perfusion ; Rats ; Somatomedins

OBJECTIVEIntrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) may contribute to the disorder of development of fetal brains. L-arginine has been known to be effective in blood vessel distension and improving the blood circulation of placentas. Recent studies have shown that L-arginine can ameliorate the placental hypoxia and improve the development of fetus. This study aimed to explore the effects of L-arginine on the expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF-II, IGF binding protein-3(IGFBP3)and IGF-I mRNA in brains of IUGR rats and the possible mechanisms of L-arginine.

METHODSThirty-six pregnant rats were randomly assigned into four groups: Control, Model, Low dose L-arginine (100 mg/kg) and High-dose L-arginine (200 mg/kg L-arginine) groups (n=9 each). IUGR was induced by passive smoking in rats from the last three groups. L-arginine was administered for the last two groups between days 8 and 20 of gestation. On day 21 of gestation, the pup rats were delivered by cesarean section. The levels of IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP3 in the brains of pup rats were measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assay (ELISA) and the expression of IGF-I mRNA was detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR).

RESULTSThe levels of IGF-I, IGF-II and IGF-I mRNA expression in the Model group were significantly lower than in the Control group, with the IGF-I levels of 0.789 +/- 0.062 ng/mg vs 0.947 +/- 0.042 ng/mg, the IGF-II levels of 0.270 +/- 0.020 ng/mg vs 0.374 +/- 0.015 ng/mg and the IGF-I mRNA expression of (13.12 +/- 1.39) x 10(4) cps/mug RNA vs (21.28 +/- 3.54) x 10(4) cps/mug RNA (P < 0.01). In contrast, the IGFBP3 levels in the Model group were significantly higher than in the Control group (0.253 +/- 0.011 ng/mg vs 0.089 +/- 0.015 ng/mg; P < 0.01). Low or high dose L-arginine treatment increased significantly the IGF-I levels from 0.789 +/- 0.062 ng/mg (Model group) to 0.937 +/- 0.067 ng/mg (low dose group) or 0.858 +/- 0.077 ng/mg (high dose group), the IGF-II levels from 0.270 +/- 0.020 ng/mg (Model group) to 0.318 +/- 0.018 ng/mg (low dose group) or 0.354 +/- 0.021 ng/mg (high dose group) and the IGF-I mRNA expression from (13.12 +/- 1.39) x 10(4) cps/mug RNA (Model group) to (19.24 +/- 2.48) x 10(4) cps/mug RNA (low dose group) or (17.35 +/- 2.30) x 10(4) cps/mug RNA (high dose group) (P < 0.01). The IGFBP3 levels were significantly reduced after low or high dose L-arginine treatment (0.132 +/- 0.006 ng/mg or 0.146 +/- 0.009 ng/mg) compared with those of the Model group (0.253 +/- 0.011 ng/mg) ( P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSL-arginine can increase the levels of IGF-I and IGF-II and the IGF-I mRNA expression, and decrease the IGFBP3 level in the brain of rats with IUGR induced by passive smoking, thereby offering protective effects against IUGR.

Animals ; Arginine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; analysis ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; analysis ; genetics ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; analysis ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and colorectal cancer.

METHODSA meta-analysis of 6 epidemiological studies on insulin-like growth factors and risk of colorectal cancer were performed.

RESULTSThe pooled odds ratio (OR) of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were 1.56 (95% CI: 1.14-2.13) and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.43-1.44) respectively. According to the results from different measurements (enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay and immunoradiometric assay), the pooled OR were 1.92 and 1.23 for IGF-1, 0.46 and 1.44 for IGFBP-3 respectively.

CONCLUSIONHigh serum levels of IGF-1 were independent risk factors of colorectal cancer but the OR of IGFBP-3 was not statistically significant. The heterogeneity between studies on IGFBP-3 and colorectal cancer was caused by different measurements used, but there was still a need to conduct simultaneous large size study under 2 different measurements for further conclusion.

China ; epidemiology ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; blood ; epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Radioimmunoassay ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVEUsing rats fed in intermittent hypoxia environment to study the relationship between sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) of children and growth retardation.

METHODSThe hypoxic chamber was designed and manufactured, the control of intermittent hypoxia was achieved. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into three groups: mild and severe hypoxia group, and control group. In control group, the animals were normally fed, without interruption. The animals in other two groups were kept in the cabin, simulated mild and severe intermittent hypoxia conditions 8-hour a day, a total of 35 days. According to the results of preliminary experiments, the concentration of intermittent hypoxia and frequency were determined. The animals with mild hypoxia events occurred nearly six times per hour, the average minimum oxygen saturation dropped to 0.853, the animals with severe hypoxia events occurred nearly 24 times per hour, the average minimum oxygen saturation dropped to 0.776. Body mass and length were measured before and after experiment. The serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 expression were tested from venous blood by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSThe length and body mass of rats in three groups before and after experiment were not statistically different (P>0.05). Before the experiment the serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were not significantly different (P>0.05). 35 d after the experiment, the serum IGF-1 (x±s, the same below) in the control group, mild hypoxia and severe hypoxia were (60.0±18.5) ng/ml, (40.6±9.9) ng/ml and (13.1±8.6) ng/ml, F=25.840, P<0.01; the serum IGFBP-3 were (1.93±0.23) µg/ml, (1.39±0.30) µg/ml and (0.90±0.21) µg/ml, F=33.929, P<0.01. The differences were statistically significant. The IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels decreased as the hypoxia increased (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn simulated sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome, the intermittent hypoxia in young rats does not show physical growth retardation, but the serum IGF-1, IGFBP-3 levels decreased with the increase of hypoxia and decline of oxygen saturation.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Hypoxia ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 ; blood ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Rats ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; blood