Abstract
Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was firstly identified as a hormone that mediates the biological effects of growth hormone. Accumulating data have indicated the role of IGF-1 signaling pathway in lung development and diseases such as congenital disorders, cancers, inflammation, and fibrosis. IGF-1 signaling modulates the development and differentiation of many types of lung cells, including airway basal cells, club cells, alveolar epithelial cells, and fibroblasts. IGF-1 signaling deficiency results in alveolar hyperplasia in humans and disrupted lung architecture in animal models. The components of IGF-1 signaling pathways are potentiated as biomarkers as they are dysregulated locally or systemically in lung diseases, whereas data may be inconsistent or even paradoxical among different studies. The usage of IGF-1-based therapeutic agents urges for more researches in developmental disorders and inflammatory lung diseases, as the majority of current data are collected from limited number of animal experiments and are generally less exuberant than those in lung cancer. Elucidation of these questions by further bench-to-bedside researches may provide us with rational clinical diagnostic approaches and agents concerning IGF-1 signaling in lung diseases.
Highlights
Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are produced mainly by the liver cells in response to pituitary hormones and form a feedback signaling loop with pituitary, liver, and growth hormone-releasing hormone release by the hypothalamus [1, 2]
We reviewed the up-to-date roles and possible mechanisms of Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway in lung development and inflammatory diseases including Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), pulmonary fibrosis, Acute Lung Injury (ALI) and ARDS, asthma, COPD, and Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
Whereas components of IGF1 signaling pathways are potentiated as biomarkers as they are dysregulated locally or systemically in inflammatory lung diseases, data may be inconsistent or even be paradoxical among different studies. This could be partly attributed to the complexity of IGF-1, which serves both as an important part of the growth hormone/IGF-1 axis and as a regulator of systemic metabolism
Summary
Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are produced mainly by the liver cells in response to pituitary hormones and form a feedback signaling loop with pituitary, liver, and growth hormone-releasing hormone release by the hypothalamus [1, 2]. Immunological and genetic analyses have affirmed the expression of IGF-1 signaling components in cells from the normal lung tissue, including airway cells, lung parenchymal cells, smooth muscle cells, lung fibroblasts, and alveolar macrophages [4]. Recent researches redefine the previously recognized role of IGF-1 signaling in lung development and diseases, such as congenital disorders, cancers, inflammation, and fibrosis [5]. The role of IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling abnormalities in lung cancer has been extensively reviewed elsewhere [2, 7,8,9,10,11]. We focus mainly on the roles of IGF-1 signaling in lung development and inflammatory diseases, as will be discussed in detail below
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
