binding structures in placental cells

Membrane-associated insulin-like growth factor (IGF

Original paper INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-I AND-II AND THEIR BINDING PROTEINS IN HUMAN EJACULATES

ejaculates from thirty men aged 23 ’ 46 years. Mean ejaculate volume was 3.3 mL (range 1 ’ 6 mL). Viscosity was increased moderately in six samples and greatly in four more. The number of motile sperm (0’165 million/mL; mean 49; median 39) was highly correlated with total number (P < 0.001). Concentrations of IGF-I and-II determined by displacement radioimmunoassay were positively correlated (P = 0.001). IGF-I ranged from 2.7 to 29.7 nmol/L (mean 9.6; median 6.5) and increased with viscosity. IGF-II ranged from 5.7 to 39.0 nmol/L (mean 16.0; median 13.5). IGFBP-2 and putative IGFBP-4 were detected by autoradiography of ligand blots after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These binding proteins were stable in ejaculates stored at ’18 °C with protease inhibitors and remained associated with higher molecular weight complexes during molecular size chromatography with 1 mol/L acetic acid. They eluted at least partially in the expected fractions with 1 mol/L sodium chloride but further attempts at purification were unsuccessful due to progressive degradation. It is suggested that ionic bonds between IGFBP-2 and other components, such as proteoglycans, provide protection from proteolysis in a similar way as shown for IGFBP-1 and a2-macroglobulin. Key words: semen, insulin-like growth factors, binding protein

Original paper ALTERATION OF CIRCULATING INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTORS IN PATIENTS INFECTED WITH BACTERIA HELICOBACTER PYLORI OR FRANCISELLA TULARENSIS

Summary: Alterations of insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and-II) and their binding proteins (IGFBP) in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori or Francisella tularensis are reported in this paper. Infections were diagnosed immunochemically, by determination of specific antibodies to each bacterial species. It was shown that IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 concentrations were lower in patients with bacterial infections, while IGFBP-2 concentration increased in comparison with healthy adults. Although the effect was more pronounced in the case of H. pylori infection, statistically significant reductions of IGF-I and IGF-II were found in both groups of patients. For IGF-I p < 0.0001 and for IGF-II p = 0.037 in patients with H. pylori, while p = 0.017 and p = 0.032 in patients with F. tularensis. Alterations of the IGF system can be regarded as a combined effect of bacterial infection on immuno, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and nutritional axes in the organism. Key words: insulin-like growth factors, bacterial infections

EFFECT OF PERIPARTUM DIETARY ENERGY SUPPLEMENTATION ON THYROID HORMONES, INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-I AND ITS BINDING PROTEINS IN EARLY LACTATION DAIRY COWS

only on day 60 after parturition (p<0.01, respectivel