OBJECTIVE: To examine serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and IGF binding protein (IGFBP-3), a major carrier protein for IGF-1, in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc); and to relate the results to clinical features in SSc. METHODS: Serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in 92 Japanese patients with SSc were measured by ELISA. Expression of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 messenger RNA (mRNA) in the skin was quantified by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were significantly elevated in patients with SSc compared with patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or healthy controls. IGF-1 levels were higher in patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) than in patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc). Patients with increased IGF-1 levels had more severe skin involvement and pulmonary fibrosis. IGF-1 mRNA was upregulated in the affected skin of patients with SSc. There were no significant differences in serum IGFBP-3 levels between dcSSc and lcSSc. IGFBP-3 levels were not associated with skin thickness and pulmonary fibrosis. Patients with increased IGF-1 or IGFBP-3 had lower frequency of telangiectasia than patients with normal levels. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that both IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 are involved in the development of SSc. The role of IGF-1 appears to be different from that of IGFBP-3.
OBJECTIVE: To examine serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and IGF binding protein (IGFBP-3), a major carrier protein for IGF-1, in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc); and to relate the results to clinical features in SSc. METHODS: Serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in 92 Japanese patients with SSc were measured by ELISA. Expression of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 messenger RNA (mRNA) in the skin was quantified by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were significantly elevated in patients with SSc compared with patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or healthy controls. IGF-1 levels were higher in patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) than in patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc). Patients with increased IGF-1 levels had more severe skin involvement and pulmonary fibrosis. IGF-1 mRNA was upregulated in the affected skin of patients with SSc. There were no significant differences in serum IGFBP-3 levels between dcSSc and lcSSc. IGFBP-3 levels were not associated with skin thickness and pulmonary fibrosis. Patients with increased IGF-1 or IGFBP-3 had lower frequency of telangiectasia than patients with normal levels. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that both IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 are involved in the development of SSc. The role of IGF-1 appears to be different from that of IGFBP-3.
Authors: Elena Schiopu; Karen M Au; Maureen A McMahon; Mariana J Kaplan; Anagha Divekar; Ram R Singh; Daniel E Furst; Philip J Clements; Nagesh Ragvendra; Wenpu Zhao; Paul Maranian; Dinesh Khanna Journal: Rheumatology (Oxford) Date: 2013-12-19 Impact factor: 7.580
Authors: Shervin Assassi; Minghua Wu; Filemon K Tan; Jeffrey Chang; Tiffany A Graham; Daniel E Furst; Dinesh Khanna; Julio Charles; Emma C Ferguson; Carol Feghali-Bostwick; Maureen D Mayes Journal: Arthritis Rheum Date: 2013-11