Mary Boes

Insulin, insulin-like growth factors, and vascular endothelium

Endothelial cells form the intimal lining of the entire vascular system. The vascular endothelium is continuously and directly bathed by components of the bloodstream and represents the initial fixed anatomical surface with which these components come in contact. In the past decade, the methodologies for studying endothelial cell functions have markedly advanced, enabling direct and detailed study of the vascular endothelium. From such studies, it is now apparent that the vascular endothelium represents an extraordinarily complex network of cells demonstrating a multitude of distinct anatomic, metabolic, and immunologic properties critical to such processes as angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, neoplasia, and a variety of metabolic disorders including homocystinuria and diabetes mellitus. This report will focus on the interactions of insulin and the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) with vascular endothelium, based on studies with cultured endothelial cells, isolated microvessels, and perfused organ systems. Data will be presented relevant to the following concepts: (1) endothelial cells, in culture and in vivo, have specific receptors for insulin, IGF-I, and IGF-II; (2) insulin, IGF-I, and IGF-II have both distinct and overlapping functions in cultured endothelial cells; (3) cultured endothelial cells process receptor-bound insulin, IGF-I, and IGF-II, by distinct processes; (4) in vivo, capillary endothelial receptors are integrally involved in the transport of intact insulin to subendothelial sites of insulin action; and (5) vascular endothelium has specialized cellular features that are likely to contribute to the unique interactions of endothelial cells with insulin and the IGFs.

Production of IGF-binding proteins by vascular endothelial cells.

Conditioned serum-free media from cultured human, bovine and rodent endothelial cells contained binding proteins with high affinity for the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs). After partial purifications on heparin or Multiplication Stimulating Activity (MSA)-affinity columns, 2 species of binding protein were identified, a major protein having Mr approximately 35,000 and a minor 22-28,000 protein. The binding proteins had greater affinity for IGF-I than IGF-II with no affinity for insulin or proinsulin. Substantial amounts of the binding proteins remained cell-associated, loosely bound to the outer cell surface of the endothelial cell. Binding protein(s) from human endothelial cells cross-reacted with antibodies to the 53,000 dalton acid-stable human serum binding protein. Production of endothelial binding proteins was not stimulated by growth hormone or insulin. We conclude that endothelial cells in culture produce large quantities of specific IGF binding proteins. Such binding proteins should be relevant in understanding the complex metabolism and function of the IGFs in the intact host.

Cultured capillary endothelial cells from bovine adipose tissue: A model for insulin binding and action in microvascular endothelium☆

Capillary endothelial cells were cultured from bovine adipose tissue. The endothelial nature of the cultures was documented by characteristic morphology, uniform presence of factor VIII antigen, and uptake of the endothelial cell marker Dil-Ac-LDL. The capillary cell cultures had specific, high affinity binding sites for insulin, demonstrating time and temperature dependence of binding, pH optimum, analog specificity, and inhibition of insulin binding by anti-insulin receptor antibodies. In both subconfluent and confluent cultures, insulin stimulated thymidine incorporation into DNA; significant stimulatory effects of insulin were observed at insulin concentrations of 1 ng/ml with maximal 8- to 10-fold increases at hormone concentrations of 1,000 to 10,000 ng/ml. Because of the ease of routine preparation, cell purity, presence of high affinity insulin binding sites, and insulin-sensitive metabolic responses, we suggest that the bovine capillary endothelial cultures could serve as a model cell system for the detailed study of insulin interactions with capillary endothelial cells.

Interactions of cultured endothelial cells with TGF-β, bFGF, PDGF and IGF-I

Abstract Endothelial cells in culture synthesize the growth factors transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and, perhaps, insulin like growth factor I (IGF-I). We have previously demonstrated that IGF-I and PDGF have both high affinity receptors and stimulate glucose and AIB uptake in the microvessel cells under study and that IGF-I, but not PDGF, has similar high affinity receptors in cultured large vessel endothelial cells. In the present study, cultured bovine endothelial cells were exposed to these four growth factors to determine a) their effects on the acute metabolic processes of neutral amino acid (AIB) and glucose uptake and b) their interactions at the endothelial cell surface. In microvessel endothelial cells, each growth factor stimulated AIB and glucose uptake 2–4 fold whereas in large vessel endothelial cells only bFGF stimulated glucose uptake. Each growth factor had specific high affinity binding to the microvessel cells that was not influenced by the presence of the other growth factors. In large vessel endothelial cells, similar high affinity binding was present only for IGF-I and to a lesser degree TGF-β. When cells were exposed to a given growth factor for 18 hours, homologous receptor downregulation was observed, with a maximal 60–95% decrease in surface binding. These findings suggest several potential levels of interaction of the growth factors TGF-β, bFGF, PDGF and IGF-I in cultured vascular endothelial cells.

Isolation and characterization of plasmin-generated bioactive fragments of IGFBP-3

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) was digested with plasmin, and the proteolytic fragments were isolated by HPLC and tested for bioactivity as measured by stimulation of glucose uptake in microvessel endothelial cells. Two of the pooled fractions of the digest stimulated glucose uptake. The major bioactive pool, at an estimated protein concentration <50 ng/ml, stimulated glucose uptake to 150% of control with greater stimulation and 220% of control at approximately 250 ng/ml. Two fragments were present in the bioactive fraction, the dominant one migrating at approximately 20,000 and the other at approximately 8,000. Both fragments bound 125I-labeled insulin-like growth factor and [3H]heparin. NH2-terminal amino acid analysis of the bioactive peak yielded two sequences. One, representing the majority of the material, had an NH2-terminal sequence identical to IGFBP-3; the second fragment began at amino acid 202 of IGFBP-3. In contrast to the bioactive fragments, intact IGFBP-3, at concentrations up to 130 microgram/ml, had no bioactivity. These findings demonstrate that IGFBP-3 can be degraded into fragments that have potent bioactivities that are not present in the intact IGFBP-3 molecule.Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) was digested with plasmin, and the proteolytic fragments were isolated by HPLC and tested for bioactivity as measured by stimulation of glucose uptake in microvessel endothelial cells. Two of the pooled fractions of the digest stimulated glucose uptake. The major bioactive pool, at an estimated protein concentration <50 ng/ml, stimulated glucose uptake to 150% of control with greater stimulation and 220% of control at ∼250 ng/ml. Two fragments were present in the bioactive fraction, the dominant one migrating at ∼20,000 and the other at ∼8,000. Both fragments bound125I-labeled insulin-like growth factor and [3H]heparin. NH2-terminal amino acid analysis of the bioactive peak yielded two sequences. One, representing the majority of the material, had an NH2-terminal sequence identical to IGFBP-3; the second fragment began at amino acid 202 of IGFBP-3. In contrast to the bioactive fragments, intact IGFBP-3, at concentrations up to 130 μg/ml, had no bioactivity. These findings demonstrate that IGFBP-3 can be degraded into fragments that have potent bioactivities that are not present in the intact IGFBP-3 molecule.

IGF receptors in myocardial capillary endothelium: Potential regulation of IGF-1 transport to cardiac muscle

Beating rat hearts were perfused with 125I-IGF-II alone or 125I-IGF-II and unlabeled IGF-II or insulin, then prepared for radioautography. Maximal 125I-IGF-II grain counts over capillaries were decreased in a dose-dependent manner by unlabeled IGF-II but were unaffected by coperfusion with insulin. To determine a potential role for capillary receptors in the transfer of circulating IGF to cardiac muscle, the effects of sequential loss of capillary IGF binding sites was determined. For IGF-I, loss of capillary binding sites by trypsin perfusion was accompanied by proportional decreases in the subsequent appearance of IGF-I in cardiac muscle. In contrast, similar decrements of capillary IGF-II binding did not affect muscle levels of IGF-II. We conclude that capillary endothelium of the intact heart possesses distinct IGF-I and IGF-II binding sites, with the capillary IGF-I binding sites being of potential importance in the transfer of vascular IGF-I to subendothelial cardiac muscle.

Infused IGF-I/IGFBP-3 complex causes glomerular localization of IGF-I in the rat kidney

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) increases renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and proximal tubule reabsorption of phosphate in humans and rodents. The biological effects of IGF-I are likely to be influenced by cellular localization of IGF-I within the kidney. We therefore tested whether the renal localization of infused IGF-I could be altered if given with selected IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). Rats were treated with intravenous injections of125I-labeled IGF-I,125I-IGFBP-3, or125I-IGFBP-4 alone or with complexes of 125I-IGF-I and IGFBP-3 or IGFBP-4. The cellular localization of IGF and the IGFBP within the kidney was then determined.125I-IGF-I,125I-IGFBP-4, and125I-IGF-I/IGFBP-4 complexes were found almost exclusively in vacuolar structures (endosomes) of proximal renal tubules. In contrast, about one-third of renal125I-IGFBP-3 and125I-IGF-I/IGFBP-3 was localized to glomeruli. When 125I-IGF-I was given alone, 3% was found in glomeruli and 89% in proximal tubules. When given as 125I-IGF-I/IGFBP-3, 29% was in glomeruli and 65% in proximal tubules. We conclude that the cellular localization of IGF-I within the kidney can be directed to glomerular elements if the IGF-I is given with IGFBP-3.

Regulation of IGF binding proteins in human aorta vascular smooth muscle cells by cAMP, dexamethasone and IGF-I

Human vascular smooth muscle cells produce IGFBP-3, IGFBP-4, IGFBP-6 and proteases specific for IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-4. This study evaluated the regulation of IGFBPs in human aorta smooth muscle cells by cyclic AMP, dexamethasone and IGF-I. cAMP decreased IGFBP-3, increased IGFBP-4 and increased IGFBP-6. Dexamethasone decreased IGFBP-3, slightly increased IGFBP-4 and increased IGFBP-6. IGF-I increased IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-6 while decreasing IGFBP-4. Co-incubation with IGF-I and dexamethasone or cAMP increased media IGFBP-3, despite a decrease in IGFBP-3 mRNA, due to the dominant effect of IGF-I-induced dissociation of cell surface-bound IGFBP-3. In cells incubated with cAMP and IGF-I, media IGFBP-4 was decreased, despite increased IGFBP-4 mRNA, in this case secondary to the dominant effect of IGF-I-stimulated IGFBP-4 protease. These findings suggest that cAMP, dexamethasone and IGF-I regulate IGFBP production in human aorta smooth muscle cells via a complex interplay of changes in transcription, protease activation and dissociation of cell surface-bound IGFBPs.