Comparative study of IGFBP properties in toad and rat sera.

The levels of IGF-I have been simultaneously measured by radioimmunoassay in samples of the toad Bufo arenarum and of normal male Wistar rats. In addition, the different fractions of IGF-I binding proteins (IGFBP) and their binding properties have been identified by ligand blot and Scatchard analysis in the serum of both species. In the toad, we have measured levels of IGF-I (2.78 +/- 0.48 ng/ml) similar to those previously reported in amphibians but far below those found in rats. IGFBP levels were estimated at 129 +/- 23 and 4249 +/- 321 pg/ml in toad and rat serum samples. Two main IGFBP fractions of 30-34 kDa, accompanied by a minor component of 24 kDa and seldom by another of 40 kDa, were identified in toad serum. In rat serum--as already reported--three bands of 40, 30, and 24 kDa were identified, the first being the main component and the last the minor one. The Scatchard analysis of a competitive binding assay showed two types of binding sites in toad serum: one of high affinity-low capacity (Ka1 = 1.6 x 10(10) M-1; R1 = 1.2 x 10(-11) M) and another with low affinity-high capacity (Ka2 = 1.9 x 10(8) M-1; R2 = 1.9 x 10(-10) M). The percentage fraction of these binding sites occupied by IGF-I was 13.5%. The figures for K1 and K2 were lower and those for R1 and R2 were higher in rat than in toad serum. The percentage fraction of occupied rat IGF binding sites was 3.6%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)