Protein Plasma Levels of the IGF Signalling System Are Altered in Major Depressive Disorder.

The Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) has been recently proven to alleviate depressive-like behaviors in both rats and mice models. However, its potential role as a peripheral biomarker has not been evaluated in depression. To do this, we measured plasma IGF-2 and other members of the IGF family such as Binding Proteins (IGFBP-1, IGFBP-3, IGFBP-5 and IGFBP-7) in a depressed group of patients (n = 51) and in a healthy control group (n = 48). In some of these patients (n = 15), we measured these proteins after a period (19 ± 6 days) of treatment with antidepressants. The Hamilton Depressive Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Self-Assessment Anhedonia Scale (SAAS) were used to measure depression severity and anhedonia, respectively. The general cognition state was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) test and memory with the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT). The levels of both IGF-2 and IGFBP-7 were found to be significantly increased in the depressed group; however, only IGF-2 remained significantly elevated after correction by age and sex. On the other hand, the levels of IGF-2, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 were significantly decreased after treatment, whereas only IGFBP-7 was significantly increased. Therefore, peripheral changes in the IGF family and their response to antidepressants might represent alterations at the brain level in depression.

Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF-2) and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7 (IGFBP-7) Are Upregulated after Atypical Antipsychotics in Spanish Schizophrenia Patients.

Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) and IGF binding protein 7 (IGFBP-7) have been related to schizophrenia (SZ) due to their implication in neurodevelopment. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the alterations in IGF-2 and IGFBP-7 in SZ patients are intrinsically related to the psychiatric disorder itself or are a secondary phenomenon due to antipsychotic treatment. In order to test this hypothesis, we measured plasma IGF-2 and IGFBP-7 in drug-naïve first episode (FE) and multiple episodes or chronic (ME) SZ Caucasian patients who have been following treatment for years. A total of 55 SZ patients (FE = 15, ME = 40) and 45 healthy controls were recruited. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Self-Assessment Anhedonia Scale (SAAS) were employed to check schizophrenic symptomatology and anhedonia, respectively. Plasma IGF-2 and IGFBP-7 levels were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The FE SZ patients had much lower IGF-2, but not IGFBP-7, than controls. Moreover, both IGF-2 and IGFBP-7 significantly increased after atypical antipsychotic treatment (aripiprazole, olanzapine, or risperidone) in these patients. On the other hand, chronic patients showed higher levels of both proteins when compared to controls. Our study suggests that circulatory IGF-2 and IGFBP-7 increase after antipsychotic treatment, regardless of long-term conditions and being lower in drug-naïve FE patients.

Value of the cell cycle arrest biomarkers in the diagnosis of pregnancy-related acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-related acute kidney injury (PRAKI) is still a common serious problem in developing countries. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) and tissue inhibitor metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) can identify critically ill patients at risk for the development of severe AKI. AIM: To identify main causes and timing of PRAKI and to study the G1 cell cycle arrest biomarkers in cases diagnosed with (PRAKI) as a diagnostic tool. METHODS: 80 pregnant women diagnosed with PRAKI were recruited from a single hospital as well as 30 age-matched pregnant women with normal pregnancy participated in the present study. A urine specimen was collected from all study participants with established AKI within 24 h of ICU admission to measure [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7]. RESULTS: The incidence of PRAKI was 1.1%. The most common cause of PRAKI is pre-eclampsia/eclampsia spectrum (61%). Most of the cases occur in the third trimester (60%) and postpartum period (23%). At a cutoff 0.33 ng/ml, the estimated sensitivity and specificity of urinary [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] in predicting PRAKI is 100% (95% CI) with NPV and PPV are 100%. CONCLUSION: Urinary [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] serves as a sensitive and specific biomarker in the diagnosis of PRAKI.

The predictive value of TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 in delayed renal function recovery after DCD renal transplantation / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:This study is to investigate the predictive value of serum levels of TIMP-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7(IGFBP7) in patients with DCD(donation after cardiac death) kidney transplantation.Methods:A prospective research design was used to select DCD kidney transplant patients admitted to the Li Huili Hospital of Ningbo University from January 2018 to October 2020.Inclusion criteria: ①Complete data; ②There were no serious complications affecting the function of the transplanted kidney in the early postoperative period.Exclusion criteria: ①Incomplete data; ②Patients were unable or unwilling to cooperate with the study; ③Severe complications affecting the function of the transplanted kidney occurred early after the operation.The ELASE method was used to quantitatively detect the serum TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 levels at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 hours and 7 days after renal transplantation, and monitor the serum creatinine values during the same period and 21 days after the operation. According to the occurrence of DGF, the measured values of TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 at different time points and their product's ability to predict the occurrence of DGF after kidney transplantation were analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 for DGF.Results:A total of 33 patients were enrolled, 7 patients (21.2%) in the DGF group and 26 patients (78.8%) in the non-DGF group. Between the two groups, the donor glomerular filtration rate were [98.5(15.8-132.5)ml/(min·1.73m 2) and 79.1(60.6-102.5)ml/(min·1.73m 2)], recipient gender (male/female: 3/4 cases and 10/16 cases), recipient age [48(34-56) Years old and 45(23-61) years old], the recipient's preoperative creatinine [1114.0(731.4-1293.0)μmol/L and 858.4(657.6-1051.9)μmol/L], the recipient's preoperative urea nitrogen [15.0(13.2-19.6)mmol/L and 17.3(13.6-20.9)mmol/L], receptor preoperative albumin [43.5(38.5-45.3)mmol/L and 41.2(37.5-46.1) mmol/L], recipient dialysis method [hemodialysis/peritoneal dialysis: 3/4 cases and 9/17 cases], warm ischemia time [6(5-7) and 5(4-6) min, there was no statistically significant difference] ( P>0.05). The values of serum IGFBP7 and TIMP-2×IGFBP7 in the DGF group were higher than those in the non-DGF group at all time points ( F=15.753, P=0.040; F=13.000, P=0.024), while serum TIMP-2 was not significant between the two groups difference ( F=1.157, P=0.075). For the diagnostic value of DGF, the AUC of serum IGFBP7 at 48 h after surgery was 0.863 (95% CI 0.696-1.000, P=0.004). When 5.97 ng/ml was used as the cut-off value, the sensitivity was 85.7% and the specificity was 80.8 %. The AUC of TIMP-2×IGFBP7 at 48 hours after surgery was 0.819 (95% CI 0.641-0.996, P=0.011). When 62.06(ng/ml) 2 was used as the cutoff value, the sensitivity was 71.4% and the specificity was 80.8%.There was no statistical difference in the area under the curve between the two ( P>0.05). There were differences in the dynamic trend of serum IGFBP7 and creatinine in the DGF group. Serum IGFBP7 at 7 days after surgery was positively correlated with creatinine at 21 days after surgery. Conclusion:Serum IGFBP7 and TIMP-2×IGFBP7 could predict the occurrence of DGF after DCD donor kidney surgery. The predictive value changes with time. Among them, 48h and 7d after surgery are the most valuable. However, serum TIMP-2 has not been found to have predictive value in this study.

Influence of patients' clinical features at intensive care unit admission on performance of cell cycle arrest biomarkers in predicting acute kidney injury.

Objectives: Identification of acute kidney injury (AKI) can be challenging in patients with a variety of clinical features at intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and the capacity of biomarkers in this subpopulation has been poorly studied. In our study we examined the influence that patients' clinical features at ICU admission have over the predicting ability of the combination of urinary tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP2) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7). Methods: Urinary [TIMP2]•[IGFBP7] were measured for all patients upon admission to ICU. We calculated the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves for AKI prediction in the overall cohort and for subgroups of patients according to etiology of ICU admission, which included: sepsis, trauma, neurological conditions, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and non-classifiable causes. Results: In the overall cohort of 719 patients, 239 (33.2%) developed AKI in the first seven days. [TIMP2]•[IGFBP7] at ICU admission were significantly higher in AKI patients than in non-AKI patients. This is true not only for the overall cohort but also in the other subgroups. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for [TIMP2]•[IGFBP7] in predicting AKI in the first seven days was 0.633 (95% CI 0.588-0.678), for the overall cohort, with sensitivity and specificity of 66.1 and 51.9% respectively. When we considered patients with combined sepsis, trauma, and respiratory disease we found a higher AUC than patients without these conditions (0.711 vs. 0.575; p=0.002). Conclusions: The accuracy of [TIMP2]•[IGFBP7] in predicting the risk of AKI in the first seven days after ICU admission has significant variability when the reason for ICU admission is considered.

Will urinary biomarkers provide a breakthrough in diagnosing cardiac surgery-associated AKI? - A systematic review.

Introduction: Acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery is a dreaded complication contributing to early mortality. Diagnosing AKI using serum creatinine usually results in a delay. To combat this, certain kidney damage specific biomarkers were investigated to identify if they can serve as early predictors of cardiac surgery-associated AKI (CSA-AKI). This study systematically reviews three such biomarkers; NGAL, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-7 (IGFBP7) to identify if they can serve as early predictors of CSA-AKI.Methods: Systematic search was carried out on literature reporting the diagnostic ability of the three biomarkers from databases in accordance with PRISMA guidelines.Results: We found 43 articles reporting urinary-NGAL levels (n = 34 in adults, n = 9 in children) and 10 studies reporting TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 levels among adults. Interestingly, NGAL showed high diagnostic value in predicting AKI in children (seven among nine studies with AUROC > 0.8). The cell cycle arrest biomarkers, namely TIMP-2 and IGFBP7, showed high diagnostic value in predicting AKI in adults (five among ten studies with AUROC > 0.8).Conclusion: In predicting CSA-AKI; the diagnostic value of NGAL is high in the paediatric population while the diagnostic value of TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 is high in adults.

IGFBP7 contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transition of HPAEpiC cells in response to radiation.

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) frequently occurs in patients with thoracic malignancies. In response to radiation, alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and contribute to the pathogenesis of RILI. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) is reported as a downstream mediator of transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) pathway, which plays a crucial role in radiation-induced EMT. In the present study, the levels of IGFBP7 and TGF-ß1 were simultaneously increased in experimental RILI models and radiation-treated AEC (human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells [HPAEpic]). The expression of IGFBP7 in radiation-treated HPAEpic cells was obviously inhibited by the specific inhibitor of TGF-ß receptor antagonist SB431542 and TGF-ß1 neutralizing antibody, and time-dependently enhanced by TGF-ß1 treatment. Moreover, IGFBP7 knockdown significantly attenuated the effects of radiation on morphology change, cell migration, expression of EMT-related markers (E-cadherin, α-SMA, and Vimentin), and phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK). The effects of IGFBP7 overexpression on the expression of EMT-related markers were partially reversed by the ERK inhibitor PD98059. In conclusion, IGFBP7, was enhanced by TGF-ß1, may be involved in radiation-induced EMT of AEC via the ERK signaling pathway, thus contributing to the pathogenesis of RILI.

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP 7) as a new biomarker in coronary heart disease.

PURPOSE: The role of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-7 (IGFBP-7) in atherosclerosis is still not well-known. The objective of this study was to find out the following: 1) whether IGFBP-7 may act as a biomarker of coronary artery disease (CAD) occurrence and extent; 2) whether IGFBP-7 is potentially related to the classical and new markers of cardiovascular risk (carotid intima-media thickness - cIMT); 3) whether IGFBP-7 may be a marker of mortality in the group of patients with myocardial infarction (MI). MATERIALS/METHODS: The study group consisted of 212 patients with MI and 75 patients with stable CAD, the control group included 100 healthy volunteers. IGFBP-7 serum concentration was measured. RESULTS: IGFBP-7 value was considerably higher in the study group (MI and CAD patients - 35.1 ng/ml (P = 0.000001) and 32.7ng/ml (P = 0.0001), respectively), than in the controls - 25.2ng/ml. No statistically significant differences between IGFBP-7 concentrations in the MI and CAD group were found. No relationship between IGFBP-7 and the coronary lesions advancement in the study group was observed. No changes in IGFBP-7 concentration in the MI patients during hospitalization were observed. In the group of MI patients who died during follow-up, a considerably higher cIMT values were found whereas no statistically significant difference was observed in relation to IGFBP-7 (34.6 vs. 35.2 ng/ml). CONCLUSIONS: IGFBP-7 is a good biomarker of CAD occurrence but not of its advancement. We demonstrated the existence of the relation between higher IGFBP-7 concentration and the selected classical risk factors of cardiovascular events as well as cIMT values. IGFBP-7 cannot serve as a marker of acute ischemia. Also, IGFBP-7 was not confirmed as a predictor of mortality in the MI patients.

Current understanding and future directions in the application of TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 in AKI clinical practice.

NephroCheck® is the commercial name of a combined product of two urinary biomarkers, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7), expressed as [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7], used to identify patients at high risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI is a common and harmful complication especially in critically-ill patients, which can induce devastating short- and long-term outcomes. Over the past decade, numerous clinical studies have evaluated the utility of several biomarkers (e.g. neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, interleukin-18, liver-type fatty acid binding protein and kidney injury molecule-1, cystatin C) in the early diagnosis and risk stratification of AKI. Among all these biomarkers, [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] was confirmed to be superior in early detection of AKI, before the decrease of renal function is evident. In 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration permitted marketing of NephroCheck® (Astute Medical) (measuring urinary [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7]) to determine if certain critically-ill patients are at risk of developing moderate to severe AKI. It has since been applied to clinical work in many hospitals of the United States and Europe to improve the diagnostic accuracy and outcomes of AKI patients. Now, more and more research is devoted to the evaluation of its application value, meaning and method in different clinical settings. In this review, we summarize the current research status of [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] and point out its future directions.

Improving clinical prediction rules in acute kidney injury with the use of biomarkers of cell cycle arrest: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Early recognition of patients developing acute kidney injury (AKI) is of considerable interest, we report the first use of a combination of a clinical prediction rule with a biomarker in emergent adult medical patients to improve AKI recognition. METHODS: Single-centre prospective pilot study of medical admissions without AKI identified as high risk by a clinical prediction rule. Urine samples were obtained and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) - biomarkers associated with cell cycle arrest, were measured. OUTCOME: Creatinine-based KDIGO hospital-acquired AKI (HA-AKI). RESULTS: Of 69 patients recruited, HA-AKI developed in 13% (n = 9), in whom biomarker values were higher (median 0.43 (interquartile range (IQR) 0.21-1.25) vs. 0.07 (0.03-0.16) in cases without (p = 0.008). Peak rise in creatinine was higher in biomarker positive cases (median 30 µmol/L (7-72) vs. 1 µmol/L (0-16), p = 0.002). AUROC was 0.78 (95% CI 0.57-0.98). At the suggested cut-off (0.3) sensitivity for predicting AKI was 78% (95% CI 40-97%), specificity 89% (78-95%), positive predictive value 50% (31-69%) and negative predictive value 96% (89-99%). DISCUSSION: Addition of a urinary biomarker allows exclusion of a significant number of patients identified to be at higher risk of AKI by a clinical prediction rule.

Advanced coats-like retinopathy as the initial presentation of Familial Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysms.

PURPOSE: To describe two young Saudi brothers with bilateral progressive retinal arterial aneurysms and a subtotal exudative retinal detachment with Coats-like presentation in the older sibling as the initial presentation of Familial Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysms (FRAM). OBSERVATIONS: Two young Saudi brothers with a family history of consanguinity presented with the classic clinical presentation and genetic identification of FRAM. In this report, we describe the presence of prominent peripheral retinal capillary changes mimicking Coats' disease. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: FRAM can present similar to bilateral Coats' disease and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of Coats-like retinopathy. The diagnosis of FRAM may have a significant implication because of the associated cardiac abnormality, such as supravalvular pulmonary stenosis, which should be evaluated by echocardiography and managed accordingly.

Biomarkers of acute kidney injury: the pathway from discovery to clinical adoption.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of critical illnesses and has a significant impact on outcomes, including mortality and morbidities. Unfortunately, apart from prophylactic measures, no effective treatment for this syndrome is known. Therefore, early recognition of AKI not only can provide better opportunities for preventive interventions, but also opens many gates for research and development of effective therapeutic options. Over the last few years, several new AKI biomarkers have been discovered and validated to improve early detection, differential diagnosis, and differentiation of patients into risk groups for progressive renal failure, need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), or death. These novel AKI biomarkers complement serum creatinine (SCr) and urine output, which are the standard diagnostic tools for AKI detection. In this article, we review the available literature on characteristics of promising AKI biomarkers that are currently the focus of preclinical and clinical investigations. These biomarkers include neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), liver-type fatty acid-binding protein, interleukin 18 (lL-18), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2), calprotectin, urine angiotensinogen (AGT), and urine microRNA. We then describe the clinical performance of these biomarkers for diagnosis and prognostication. We also appraise each AKI biomarker's advantages and limitations as a tool for early AKI recognition and prediction of clinical outcomes after AKI. Finally, we review the current and future states of implementation of biomarkers in the clinical practice.

Cross-species validation of cell cycle arrest markers for acute kidney injury in the rat during sepsis.

BACKGROUND: The recent discovery of cell cycle arrest biomarkers, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-2 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7), has led to a newly available clinical test for acute kidney injury. The performance of these markers in preclinical studies has not been established. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the performance of TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 in rats undergoing cecal ligation and puncture. METHODS: In this secondary analysis, we analyzed banked urine samples from 60 Sprague-Dawley rats undergoing cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Samples were obtained from baseline, 18 h after CLP, at the end of fluid resuscitation (22 h after CLP), and again 24 h later. We measured TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 and compared the results to acute kidney injury by RIFLE criteria for creatinine using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The primary endpoint was moderate-to-severe acute kidney injury (AKI) (I or F criteria), and the primary time point was immediately after fluid resuscitation. Secondary outcomes included mortality and comparisons with other biomarkers: cystatin C and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in both urine and plasma. RESULTS: After fluid resuscitation, urine [TIMP-2] and [IGFBP7] were significantly higher in animals developing moderate-to-severe AKI (p = 0.002 and p = 0.01). AUC of [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] for AKI was 0.89 (95 % CI 0.80-0.98). By contrast, the next best AUC was seen with plasma cystatin C (0.78; 95 % CI 0.65-0.90). [TIMP-2]·[IGFBP7] also predicted mortality (AUC 0.69; 95 % CI 0.53-0.85). CONCLUSIONS: In this experimental model of sepsis in the rat, cell cycle arrest biomarkers TIMP-2 and IGFBP7 are valid predictors of acute kidney injury.

Analytical characteristics of a biomarker-based risk assessment test for acute kidney injury (AKI).

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased mortality, morbidity, hospital length of stay, and costs. A quantitative urine test is available to assess the risk of developing AKI by measuring the concentrations of two protein biomarkers, TIMP-2 and IGFBP-7. The NephroCheck Test combines these concentrations into an AKIRisk Score. The purpose of this study is to characterize the analytical performance characteristics of the AKIRisk Score. METHODS: Linearity and analytical sensitivity were evaluated by following Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) EP06-A and EP17-A, respectively. Precision was evaluated by testing clinical samples and examining the repeatability of test results. Potential interference was evaluated for endogenous and exogenous substances. Sample stability was examined at room temperature and at 2-8°C, as well as the effect of sample centrifugation temperature on test results. RESULTS: The AKIRisk Score exhibits approximately 10% coefficient of variation (CV) at the recommended cutoff value of 0.3 and the limit of quantitation (LoQ) was 0.002. Only albumin, bilirubin (conjugated), and methylene blue interfered with test results, at concentrations exceeding 1250 mg/L, 72 mg/L, and 0.49 mg/L, respectively. AKIRisk Score results were stable for 6h at room temperature, 24h refrigerated, and not impacted by sample centrifugation temperature. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies demonstrate that the AKIRisk Score has robust analytical performance, good precision, minimal analytical interference, acceptable sensitivity, and excellent sample stability.

Reference intervals of urinary acute kidney injury (AKI) markers [IGFBP7]∙[TIMP2] in apparently healthy subjects and chronic comorbid subjects without AKI.

BACKGROUND: Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) have demonstrated significantly improved diagnostic performance in assessing risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) compared with existing biomarkers. We present the findings of a multi-site trial to determine the reference intervals for these biomarkers in apparently healthy adults and those with stable chronic morbid conditions without AKI. METHODS: A urine specimen was collected from apparently healthy subjects (N=378) and subjects with at least one stable chronic morbidity (N=372). Specimens were kept frozen until analysis with the NephroCheck® Test (Astute Medical). The test is comprised of fluorescence immunoassays for IGFBP7 and TIMP-2 and is used with the Astute140® Meter which quantifies the concentration of each biomarker. The meter multiplies the concentrations of IGFBP7 and TIMP-2 and displays the result as a numerical value ([IGFBP7]∙[TIMP-2]) expressed in (ng/ml)(2)/1000 which is called the AKIRisk™ Score. RESULTS: The reference intervals (inner 95%) for [IGFBP7]∙[TIMP-2] in all subjects (N=750), apparently healthy subjects, and subjects with stable chronic morbidities were 0.04-2.22, 0.04-2.25, and 0.05-2.20 (ng/ml)(2)/1000 respectively. There was no statistical difference between reference intervals for apparently healthy and chronic stable morbid cohorts (p=0.42). CONCLUSIONS: Our investigation showed that urine [IGFBP7]∙[TIMP-2] values were not elevated in patients with stable chronic morbidities who did not have AKI.

Effect of IGFBP7 overexpression on proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells / 中国医师杂志

Objective To present study was to investigate the effects of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7)on the proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells.Methods Human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells was cultured,and plasmid pIRES2-ZsGreen1-IGFBP7 or empty plasmid was transfected into HepG2 cells and the cell transfection efficiency was examined by fluores-cence microscopy;MTT was performed to evaluate the effect of IGFBP7 on proliferation and apoptosis of HepG2 cells in 48 hours after transfection.Results IGFBP7 transfected group decreased cell proliferation noticeably.Conclusions Overexpression of IGFBP7 can down-regulte the proliferation of human hepatocel-lular carcinoma HepG2 cells.

Immunohistochemical Study on the Distribution of Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7 (IGFBP7) in the Central Nervous System of Adult Rats / 체질인류학회지

In the present study, we performed immunohistochemical studies to investigate the detailed distribution of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) in the central nervous system of adult rats. Twelve adult (4~6 month old) Sprague-Dawley rats were examined in this study. Immunohistochemistry using specific antibodies against IGFBP7 was performed in accordance with the free-floating method. In the present study, IGFBP7 immunoreactivity was observed in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, brainstem, cerebellum and spinal cord. In the cerebral cortex, heavily stained neurons were seen in layers II-VI. In the hippocampus, pyramidal cells in CA1-3 region were strongly immunoreactive for IGFBP7. Strong immunoreactive neurons were also found in the supraoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, periaqueductal gray and oculomotor nucleus. In the cerebellum, IGFBP7 immunoreactivity was prominent in the Purkinje cells and cerebellar output neurons. IGFBP7-immunoreactive neurons were prominent in the superior vestibular nucleus, cochlear nucleus, trigeminal motor nucleus, nucleus of the trapezoid, and facial nucleus. IGFBP7-immunoreactive neurons were also observed mainly in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. The first demonstration of IGFBP7 localization in the whole brain may provide useful data for the future investigations on the structural and functional properties of IGFBP7.