Expression and relationship of the insulin-like growth factor system with posthatch growth in the Korean Native Ogol chicken.

Insulin-like growth factors (IGF) act as regulators that modulate proliferation and differentiation of various cells. Also, IGF are involved in metabolism and body growth by regulating the synthesis and degradation of glycogen and proteins in animals. However, the effect of IGF system on body growth in poultry including Korean Native Ogol chickens (KNOC) has not been thoroughly studied. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the expressions of IGF system and the relationship of IGF with body growth during posthatch growth in KNOC. Sera and organs were collected at hatch and at 1, 3, 5, and 7 wk. The mRNA expressions of IGF, IGF-I receptor, and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-2 were quantitatively analyzed by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. The IGF concentrations were measured by heterologous RIA, and the expression of IGFBP-2 was detected by Western ligand blotting. The body weight of KNOC rapidly increased during the experimental period, and increase in breast muscle weight was 5-fold from 1 to 3 wk. Although the circulating IGF-I concentration gradually increased, the level of IGF-I in breast muscle rapidly declined during growth period. The IGF-II expression was not similar to IGFBP-2 during postnatal growth. Moreover, the breast muscle IGF-II concentration was mainly correlated with body growth at 7 wk and breast muscle IGF-I at 1 and 5 wk. Taken together, the present study suggested that the endocrine manner of IGF-I was more important than auto/paracrine actions in body growth of KNOC and that expression of IGF-II was involved in body growth and IGF-I during posthatch growth of KNOC.