Recombinant Human IGFBP-3 Protein, CF

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is one of six members of the insulin­like growth factor (IGF) binding protein superfamily which function to modulate the biological activity of IGF (1). Human IGFBP-3 is the major binding protein of IGF where it exists in circulation as a ternary complex with the acid-labile subunit (ALS) (2). Like other IGFBP members, human IGFBP-3 includes a cysteine-rich C-terminal domain, a highly variable central linker domain, and another
N-terminal cysteine-rich domain (2, 3). Human IGFBP-3 cDNA encodes a 291 amino acid (aa) precursor protein with a 27 aa signal peptide that is processed to generate the 264 aa mature protein. Mature human IGFBP-3 shares 82% aa sequence identity with both mouse and rat IGFBP-3. Post-­translational glycosylation and phosphorylation of IGFBP-3 modifies the affinities of the binding protein. Proteolysis of IGFBP-3 by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a disintegrin and metaloproteases (ADAMs), and prostate specific antigen (PSA) contributes to IGFBP-3 degradation or a reduction in its affinity for IGF (4-6). The majority of soluble IGFBP-3 found in circulation is secreted from hepatic non-parenchymal cells. IGFBP-3 expression can be modulated by p53 as well as by various cytokines and growth factors (7, 8). In addition to its role in stabilizing and transporting circulating IGF, IGFBP-3 has been shown to potentiate EGF-EGFR-mediated cell growth through the activation of sphingosine kinase1 (SPHK1) and sphingosin-1-phosphate (S1P) (9, 10). IGFBP-3 has also been shown to modulate adipogenesis (11). Binding of IGFBP-3 to non-IGF-related ligands has been shown to regulate TGF-beta signaling, DNA damage, apoptosis, autophagy, and gene transcription (12). Interactions with non-IGF-related ligands is thought to contribute, in part, to the dichotomous stimulatory and inhibitory effects of IGFBP-3 on cell growth (2).