Expression of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor System in Postpneumonectomy Lung Growth

Abstract

The insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) may play an important role in postpneu-monectomy 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 contributions to the regulation of postpneumonectomy lung growth, but rather reflect the postoperative state of the animals.