The relationships between plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) to growth pattern, and characteristics of plasma IGFBPs in steers

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of IGFBPs in plasma of steers, and to profile the relationship between growth and plasma IGF-1 and IGFBPs with aging in Holstein steers. Four blots of IGFBP at molecular weights of 38-43, 34, 29-32 and 24 kDa bands were detected by western ligand blot assay using ¹²⁵I-IGF-1. On the basis of immunoblotting with anti-bovine IGFBP-2 and -3 antiserums, we observed the band for IGFBP-2 at approximately 34 kDa, and the IGFBP-3 band was detected at 38-43 kDa and 34 kDa in adult steers and calves. The IGFBP-3 antiserum used on the blots exhibited significant cross-reactivity with 34 kDa IGFBP-2. Furthermore, the 38-43 kDa IGFBP-3 bands were reduced to a 36 kDa band after deglycosylation, whereas the 34 kDa IGFBP-2 was intact. The plasma IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and other IGFBPs showed stability throughout a whole day. The change in live weight was found to be positively correlated to the plasma IGF-1 concentration (r = 0.6801, n = 64, p<0.05) and plasma IGFBP-3 (r = 0.6321, n = 64, p<0.05), while inversely correlated to plasma IGFBP-2 (r = -0.2919, n = 64, p<0.05). Furthermore, plasma IGF-1 was positively correlated to plasma IGFBP-3 (r = 0.6191, p<0.001), but was not correlated to plasma IGFBP-2. The portion of IGFBP-2 for total IGFBPs in calves was higher than in adult steers (p<0.05) and was decreased with growth, whereas that of IGFBP-3 was increased with increased live weight (p<0.05). The ratio IGFBP-3 for IGFBP-2 (BP-3/BP-2) was increased with growing of liveweight. Therefore, the changes in plasma IGF-1 level with increased liveweight may be related to the changes in plasma IGFBP-3 level and IGFBP-2 may give an important role in anabolic action of IGF-1 with the growth of body during calfhood in Holstein steers.