Imprinting of the Angelman syndrome gene, UBE3A, is restricted to brain.
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Publications and source records attributed to A R Hoffman.
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To assess the effect of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) and recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I (rhIGF-I) on protein utilization, 14 women, age 66-82 yr, were invited to participate in studies of nitrogen balance (n = 14), whole body protein turnover (n = 14), and muscle protein synthesis (n = 8). They were studied both 1 wk before and during the last week of a 1-mo regimen, to which they had been randomly assigned, of either 0.025 mg rhGH/kg once daily or rhIGF-I at 0.015 (low), 0.03 (mid), or 0.06 (high) mg/kg twice daily. Nitrogen balance increased significantly after 1 wk of treatment in all groups (P < 0.05). After 1 mo, the magnitude of this effect had diminished by 50% in the rhGH group but remained elevated throughout the treatment period with all doses of rhIGF-I. Both protein synthesis and breakdown, measured by a primed constant infusion of [15N]glycine, were significantly increased with rhGH (9% and 8%, respectively), low-dose rhIGF-I (4.5% and 4%), and high-dose rhIGF-I (18% and 17%). Net synthesis was significantly increased with rhGH (48%) and high- and mid-dose rhIGF-I (27% and 196%, respectively). Muscle protein synthesis as measured by incorporation of [1-13C]leucine increased significantly with rhGH (50%) and the mid (67%) and high (57%) doses of rhIGF-I. These data show that whole body and muscle protein synthesis are responsive to growth factor stimulation in elderly women.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common proliferative disorder of unknown etiology. We have previously documented that the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis is critical for prostate cell growth and is abnormal in BPH. The type 1 IGF receptor (IGF-1R) is constitutively expressed by most body tissues and plays a significant role in regulating cell proliferation, consistent with the role of its ligands (IGF-I and IGF-II) as important mitogenic factors. The Wilms' tumor gene product (WT-1) is a tumor suppressor that has been shown to be altered in rare kidney tumors and is known to regulate IGF-II and IGF-1R. We investigated the possibility that the expression of prostatic WT-1, IGF-1R, and IGF-II genes is altered in patients with BPH. We utilized primary cultures of prostatic stromal cells grown from normal (n = 9) and hyperplastic (n = 9) surgical specimens and analyzed WT-1, IGF-1R, and IGF-II messenger RNA levels. In all of the BPH cell strains, WT-1 expression (measured by RT-PCR and RNase protection assays) was strikingly lower than that found in normal strains (0-20% of normal, mean 14% of normal, P < 0.01). The expression of both the IGF-1R (300% of normal, P < 0.05) and IGF-II (1000% of normal, P < 0.01) messenger RNAs was higher in BPH strains as compared with normal strains. No changes were seen in stromal cell strains derived from prostatic adenocarcinoma. Thus, in cultured human prostatic stromal cell strains from patients with BPH, decreased WT-1 gene expression is associated with increases in the expression of the IGF-1R and IGF-II genes that are known transcriptional targets of WT-1. These findings indicate that reduced expression of the WT-1 tumor suppressor gene and elevated IGF-1R and IGF-II gene expression may be involved in the pathophysiology of prostatic hyperplasia, implying a new role for the Wilms' tumor gene in nonmalignant states.
The adjacent genes, insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf2) and H19, are imprinted in both mouse and human. While Igf2 is expressed from the paternal allele, H19 is transcribed exclusively from the maternal allele. To explore the underlying mechanism of Igf2 and H19 imprinting, we studied the effect of DNA demethylation on allelic expression by injecting mice with the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine (5-aza-C). We observed a > or = 2-fold increase in the abundance of Igf2 mRNA in liver from treated mice compared with that of control mice. There was no significant change in Igf2 or H19 expression in brain. In the 5-aza-C-treated mice, there was dramatic modulation of Igf2 imprinting. In some tissues, Igf2 was expressed biallelically, while in other tissues, the paternal allele was silenced and the normally imprinted maternal allele was expressed, an example of allelic switching. There was no change in the normal biallelic pattern of Igf2 expression in brain. H19, on the other hand, remained imprinted in all tissues in mice treated with 5-aza-C. These results provide the first example of a pharmacological manipulation of genomic imprinting of an endogenous gene in vivo and further implicate DNA methylation as an important factor in maintaining the differential allelic expression of the Igf2 gene.
Secretion of growth hormone (GH) by the pituitary gland progressively declines beginning in early adult life, a phenomenon which is termed "the somatopause." The observation that many of the changes which occur with advancing age are opposite to the physiologic effects of GH suggests that declining levels of GH and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), the mediator of many of the actions of GH, may be responsible for some of these changes. This article reviews the current understanding of mechanisms underlying the somatopause, the changes of aging which may result from diminished activity of the GH-IGF-I axis, the evidence which suggests that GH "replacement therapy" may reverse these changes, and the risks of treating somatopause with GH replacement.
Loss of imprinting of insulin-like growth factor-II gene (IGF2) and/or loss of heterozygosity at the 11p15 loci have been postulated to be responsible for IGF2 overexpression in Wilms' tumor. In order to delineate the mechanism of IGF2 overexpression in Wilms' tumors, we have genotyped the 11p15-11p13 chromosomal region and determined allelic expression of IGF2 and H19 in both tumor tissue and in normal adjacent kidney tissue from 40 patients with Wilms' tumor. In five of the eight subjects informative for the ApaI IGF2 polymorphism, loss of imprinting of IGF2 was observed in both normal and tumor tissues. A significant increase (>5-fold) in IGF2 expression in tumor tissues compared to the normal adjacent kidney tissue was observed regardless of the IGF2 imprinting or the chromosome 11p15 heterozygosity status. In each case, the overexpression of IGF2 in the tumors was accompanied by activation of all four IGF2 promoters. Our data indicate that alterations of IGF2 imprinting occurred in normal adjacent kidney tissue before tumorigenesis and that the IGF2 overexpression in Wilms' tumor tissue occurs through a loss of heterozygosity- or loss of imprinting-independent process.
The insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) gene is maternally imprinted in most normal tissues with only the paternal allele being transcribed. In several human tumors, however, IGF-II is expressed from both parental alleles. To explore the underlying mechanism of IGF-II imprinting, we have examined the effect of DNA demethylation in cultured human and mouse astrocyte cells. An increased expression of IGF-II was observed when these cells were treated with the DNA demethylating agents, 5-azacytidine or 2-deoxy-5-azacytidine. Allelic analysis indicated that, following DNA demethylation, the increment in IGF-II mRNA was primarily derived from the normally suppressed maternal allele. Examination of promoter usage revealed that only the most proximal promoter (mP3 in mouse and hP4 in human) responded to DNA demethylating agents, whereas the expression of IGF-II from the other promoters remained unchanged. The enhanced expression of IGF-II from these promoters suggests the presence of a methylation-response element in or near mP3 and hP4. This study indicates that DNA demethylating agents increase IGF-II expression primarily by stimulating the normally imprinted allele through the activation of the most proximal IGF-II promoter.
Despite adequate adrenal, gonadal, and thyroid hormone replacement, many adults with hypopituitarism have a recognizable syndrome of weakness and diminished sense of well-being, accompanied by alterations in metabolism and body composition, as well as increased mortality. Short-term treatment with human growth hormone improves many of these abnormalities, but a clear improvement in functional status has yet to be demonstrated. Until such an effect is shown, the use of growth hormone replacement in adults with hypopituitarism remains investigational.
Information regarding the impact of chronic renal failure (CRF) on IGF-1 serum clearance is limited. Thus we evaluated the pharmacokinetics of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in six normal adults and six adults with advanced CRF (serum creatinine 7 +/- 0.8 mg/dl). All subjects were given 80 micrograms/kg recombinant human IGF-1 s.c. and blood was sampled over 48 hours. Baseline total serum IGF-1 levels were similar in both groups, but peak levels were elevated significantly in CRF; this was apparently related to the reduced distribution volume in CRF subjects. CRF did not affect the metabolic clearance rate (MCR) of total serum IGF-1. Immunoreactive IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels were greater in CRF. Western immunoblots revealed that the apparent increase in IGFBP-3 was largely due to an increase in immunoreactive fragments. IGFBP-3 protease activity was not increased. Thus IGFBP fragment accumulation likely reflects reduced fragment clearance. Western ligand blots revealed elevated 30 and 34 kDa IGFBP levels and IGFBP products in CRF serum. Serum acid labile subunit levels were unchanged in CRF. Peak free IGF-1 levels and the MCR of free IGF-1 did not differ between groups. In both groups the MCR of free IGF-1 exceeded the MCR of total IGF-1 by approximately 30-fold. These data suggest that in CRF patients receiving s.c. IGF-1: (a) total serum IGF-1 levels are increased as a result of elevated circulating IGFBPs that may restrict the distribution of IGF-1 beyond plasma; (b) serum free IGF-1 levels are not altered; and (c) the IGF-1 MCR is unchanged in CRF. Thus, in advanced CRF, apart from a reduction in the total IGF-1 volume of distribution the pharmacokinetics of IGF-1 are largely unaltered.
Vastus lateralis muscle samples were obtained by needle biopsy from 18 healthy elderly men (65-82 yr) participating in a double blind, placebo (PL)-controlled trial of recombinant human GH (rhGH) and exercise and assessed for muscle morphology and skeletal muscle tissue expression of GH and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs). Subjects initially underwent progressive resistance training for 14 weeks and were then randomized to receive either rhGH (0.02 mg/kg BW.day, sc) or PL while undertaking a further 10 weeks of training. Muscle samples were obtained at baseline and at 14 and 24 weeks. The mean (+/- SEM) cross-sectional areas of type I and II fibers were similar (type I, 3891 +/- 167 microns2; type II, 3985 +/- 200 microns2) at baseline and increased (P < 0.01) by 16.2 +/- 4.1% and 11.8 +/- 3.8%, respectively, after the initial 14-week training period. After treatment (weeks 14-24), two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a main effect of time for type I (P < 0.01) and type II fibers (P < 0.05), but no group effect or interaction. The increase in cross-sectional area for the PL group was significant (P = 0.01) for type I (11.5 +/- 3.6%) and approached significance (P = 0.06) for type II fibers (11.1 +/- 5.6%). For rhGH, the change in type I (6.3 +/- 5.9%) and II (7.1 +/- 5.2%) fiber area was not significant. No apparent change in tissue GH receptor, IGF-I, IGF-I receptor, IGF-II, or IGF-II receptor messenger ribonucleic acids occurred as a result of exercise after the 14-week pretreatment period or after treatment with rhGH or PL. These results indicate that rhGH administration in exercising elderly men does not augment muscle fiber hypertrophy or tissue GH-IGF expression and suggests that deficits in the GH-IGF-I axis with aging do not inhibit the skeletal muscle tissue response to training.
Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II is a mitogenic peptide that has been reported to play an important role in the formation and growth of a variety of tumors. In most tissues, the IGF-II gene (IGF2) is parentally imprinted, with only the paternal allele being expressed. IGF2 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein are overexpressed in some benign and malignant tumors. H19, a tumor suppressor gene located directly downstream from IGF2, is also genomically imprinted, but the paternal allele is silenced. It has been suggested that alterations in the imprinting of these two genes, which are located at chromosome 11p15.5, may lead to a malignant diathesis. We examined 18 fresh-frozen (FF) breast tumors with their adjacent normal breast tissue and 14 sets of paraffin-embedded formalin-fixed tissues for IGF2 and H19 gene expression and imprinting. IGF2 mRNA and H19 RNA could be quantitated in 15 of the 18 FF tumors. Although three of these tumors showed a > or = 2-fold increase in IGF2 expression when compared with the normal control tissues, the average abundance of IGF2 mRNA in 8 of 15 FF samples was < 50% that observed in the normal tissue. The expression of H19 RNA in these tumors was increased by > or = 2-fold in 5 tumors, but decreased by < or = 50% in 6 tumors when compared with normal adjacent tissue. By examining the ApaI and CA-repeat polymorphisms in the IGF2 gene, we found that the imprinting of IGF2 was maintained in all but 2 of the 17 informative subjects. H19 imprinting was maintained in all 18 informative fresh-frozen and paraffin-embedded formalin-fixed samples. Our data suggest that alterations in IGF2 and H19 gene expression and loss of imprinting do not occur reliably in breast cancer.
This report presents a method for analyzing matrix metalloproteinase-9 (92 kD gelatinase) MMP-9 mRNA expression using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). With this method, chondrocytes isolated from small samples of osteoarthritic cartilage showed significantly elevated signal for MMP-9 mRNA compared to normal cartilage. In addition, cells of synovial fluid samples aspirated from osteoarthritic joints also exhibited MMP-9 expression using this technique. RT-PCR proved to be a sensitive method for assessing MMP-9 regulation in osteoarthritic and normal cartilage, and may provide a useful index of arthritic cartilage and synovial fluid cell metabolism when limited tissue is available.
We evaluated the effects of recombinant insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and growth hormone (GH) on calciotropic hormones and bone turnover markers in 16 healthy elderly women 71.9 +/- 1.3 years of age (mean +/- SEM). Subjects consumed a fixed diet providing 1000 mg of calcium and 0.9 g/kg of protein for 10 days before starting baseline 24-h urine and blood collections. Specimens were collected for 6 consecutive days before initiating subcutaneous injections of GH (25 micrograms/kg/day, n = 5) and IGF-I at 60 micrograms/kg b.i.d. (high-dose, n = 5) or at 15 micrograms/kg b.i.d. (low-dose, n = 6) for 28 days. Resorption markers included urine hydroxyproline (OHP), total pyridinolines (PYD), and N-telopeptide; formation markers include osteocalcin, skeletal alkaline phosphatase (sALP), and type I procollagen carboxy-terminal extension peptide (CICP). For each subject, baseline daily turnover markers varied substantially (DV = 16-22%). With GH and high-dose IGF-I, resorption and formation markers increased progressively to maximum levels at day 21. For GH, the increase in day 21 PYD, N-telopeptide, osteocalcin, and CICP was 143, 111, 53, and 81%, respectively (p < 0.96-0.02). For high-dose IGF-I, these increases were 108, 81, 77, and 111% (p < 0.02-0.002). However, with low-dose IGF-I no change was observed in resorption markers while osteocalcin and CICP increased progressively (day 21, % increases = 88 +/- 51, 36 +/- 14). Twenty-four hour urine collections during the last days of baseline and of study drug were taken as six 4 h aliquots. When deoxyPYD was measured on these samples in the low-dose IGF-I group, a significant increase was observed only on the 0800-1200 h aliquot. Serum phosphorus concentrations increased with GH (21.2 +/- 3.3%) and high-dose IGF-I (8.8 +/- 3.6%) by day 21 but actually decreased by day 28 (-9.7 +/- 2.7, p < 0.02) with low-dose IGF-I. Urinary phosphorus excretion decreased with high-dose IGF-I only. Twenty-four hour calcium excretion increased with all treatments. These results indicate that both GH and high-dose IGF-I activate remodeling osteons. By contrast, low-dose IGF-I may directly increase osteoblastic function with only a minimal increase in bone resorption and may therefore provide a useful means to increase bone mass. The results also suggest some of the GH action on renal phosphorus handling represents a direct action of GH on the nephron which does not involve the intermediacy of IGF-I. Finally, even under controlled conditions bone turnover markers exhibit substantial daily variation so that a very large treatment effect will be required for these markers to have clinical utility.
The renal growth hormone--insulin-like growth factor-I system in acute ischemic renal failure. Recovery from acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is accelerated by IGF-I therapy. Furthermore, the local renal growth hormone-IGF-I system may participate in the natural repair. We examined the IGF-I system in rat kidneys subjected to 60 minute ischemia compared to sham operated controls. Two days after injury, growth hormone receptor mRNA and IGF-I mRNA levels fell approximately 9 to 33% of control values. This was associated with a reduction in kidney immunoreactive IGF-I levels. In contrast, IGF-I receptor mRNA abundance was unchanged. However, plasma membrane IGF-I receptor binding on day 2 and day 7 was near double the control values (P < 0.01). Scatchard analysis revealed a near twofold increase in receptor number. Since receptor mRNA levels were unchanged, this implies receptor protein up-regulation. In contrast to unchanged IGF-I receptor mRNA levels, the abundance of mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP) -2, -3, -4 and -5 fell approximately 14 to 62% of control levels day 2 after injury (P < 0.05), suggesting reduced IGFBP production. Thus, the renal response to ischemic ATN, namely, low IGFBP mRNA levels and high IGF-I receptor number, may function to increase IGF-I bioavailability and thereby enhance the reparative actions of local and circulating IGF-I in ischemic ATN.
The human insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II gene (IGF2) contains 4 different promoters (P1-P4), three of which (P2-P4) are homologous to the 3 promoters found in murine IGF-II genes. IGF-II is abundantly expressed in adult humans and primates, but IGF2 is only expressed in brain in adult rat and mouse. Previously, promoter P1 had been found exclusively in human adult liver but not in other human tissues or in rat or mouse liver. Although mouse liver does not express a homologue of human P1 mRNA, 5' "pseudo-exons" which are homologues of human exons 2 and 3 have been identified in murine IGF2. Based on the published DNA sequences of human exon 2 and the homologous murine pseudo-exon psi 1, we designed a 5'-oligonucleotide common to both human and murine IGF2 and a 3'-oligonucleotide primer from coding exon 7. We amplified specific cDNA from human and baboon livers, but no specific band was seen in rat or mouse liver. Chain-termination DNA sequencing confirmed that the P1 mRNA sequence from baboon liver shares 90% homology with human P1 mRNA in the 5' noncoding region (exons 2 and 3). Mature baboon IGF-II peptide is identical to human IGF-II, but there are 7 amino acid differences in the E region of the IGF-II prohormone. In humans, IGF-II mRNA transcripts containing P1 were also found in human myometrium and myomas. Our results demonstrate that the P1 promoter of the IGF-II gene is present in human and baboon adult liver, although it is absent from murine liver. In humans, promoter P1 is also utilized in tissues other than adult liver. We speculate that promoter P1 may be an important factor in persistent IGF-II synthesis.
Uterine leiomyosarcomata, malignant smooth-muscle tumors that may arise from existing leiomyomata or directly from the myometrium, have been shown to oversecrete insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II). It has been shown recently that the IGF-II gene (IGF2) is maternally imprinted in both mice and humans. Only the paternal allele of IGF2 is usually expressed, except in adult liver and in the central nervous system in which biallelic expression is seen. Recently, loss of IGF2 imprinting has been reported in Wilms' tumor and in several other malignancies, and it has been suggested that biallelic expression of the gene leads to overexpression of IGF-II peptide and increased mitogenic activity. Using the ApaI restriction enzyme polymorphism in exon 9 of IGF2, we examined the expression of IGF2 in five informative uterine leiomyosarcomata and found that IGF2 was expressed biallelically in two tumors. In contrast, five samples of normal myometrium and six informative benign uterine leiomyomata showed monoallelic expression of IGF2. The incidence of heterozygosity at this locus was markedly lower in patients with leiomyosarcoma (6%) than in the healthy population (42% heterozygous; P < 0.01). H19, a gene that is imprinted in normal tissues, was expressed monoallelically in all informative normal and neoplastic uterine tumors. In contrast, the IGF-II receptor gene was expressed from both alleles in all tissues examined, confirming the finding that the human IGF-II receptor gene is not imprinted in humans. This study provides further evidence that relaxation of IGF2 genomic imprinting occurs not only in childhood tumors but also in adult-onset tumors, and it suggests a novel epigenetic mechanism for oncogenesis throughout life.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of recombinant human GH (rhGH; 0.025 mg/kg.day) and one of two doses of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I (rhIGF-I; 0.015 and 0.060 mg/kg, twice daily) on body composition in elderly women. Sixteen healthy elderly women (mean age +/- SEM, 71.9 +/- 1.3 yr) were randomly assigned to receive either rhGH (GH; n = 5), low dose rhIGF-I (n = 6), or high dose rhIGF-I (n = 5). A 2-week predrug baseline period was followed by 4 weeks of hormone treatment, with a standardized diet fed throughout. All groups experienced a significant increase in serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels over the treatment period, accompanied by significant decreases in IGF-II (P < 0.05). Fat mass decreased in all groups, with significant increases in lean body mass and nitrogen retention occurring in the high dose IGF and GH groups. Total body water did not change, whereas increases observed in intracellular fluid approached significance (P = 0.06). These anabolic changes were accompanied by numerous negative side-effects in the GH and high dose IGF groups, including headaches, lethargy, joint swelling/pain, and bloatedness. The low IGF dose was well tolerated. These results demonstrate that the administration of rhGH and rhIGF-I for 4 weeks results in anabolic changes in body composition in elderly women.
Imprinting of the insulin-like growth factor II gene (IGF-II) is conserved in human, rat, and mouse. In human liver and chondrocytes, IGF-II transcripts from promoter hP1 are always derived from both parental alleles, while transcripts from promoters hP2-hP4 are from one parental allele. To examine the promoter-specific imprinting pattern of mouse IGF-II, we examined IGF-II expression in F1 generation mice derived from crossing M. spretus with M. musculus using a novel BsaA1 polymorphism in mouse IGF-II exon 6. There was maintenance of maternal IGF-II imprinting in all non-central nervous system (CNS) tissues in the F1 generation animals. However, there was biallelic expression of the IGF-II gene in CNS. Allelic expression of each IGF-II promoter transcript was examined by full-length cDNA amplification with promoter-specific primers. In every tissue in which IGF-II was imprinted, IGF-II transcripts were derived from paternal promoters mP1-mP3, while the maternal allele was suppressed. In the CNS, however, promoters mP1-mP3 of the imprinted maternal allele became activated, leading to the biallelic expression of IGF-II. Moreover, the expression of IGF-II from each parental allele differed in various CNS regions. In leptomeninges, mP1-mP3 drive IGF-II expression predominantly from the paternal allele, while in some CNS regions, the promoter transcripts were primarily from the maternal allele. The coordinate regulation of mouse IGF-II promoters suggests the presence of an upstream imprinting complex controlling IGF-II imprinting.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)