Insulin-like growth factor system in bovine first-wave dominant and subordinate follicles.

Estradiol (E2)-active (Day 5 [D5]), transitional E2-active (D8), atretic (D12 - 1), and E2-sustained dominant follicles (DF, D12 + 1) and associated subordinate follicles (SF) were obtained through use of an experimental model described here. The ovary bearing the DF was surgically removed by colpotomy, and individual follicles were utilized to study changes in concentrations of insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and -II (IGF-II) and changes in amounts and proportions of the different IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP) present in follicular fluid (FF). The ratio of FF E2 to progesterone (EPR) was utilized to classify follicles into E2 active (EPR > 1) and E2 inactive (EPR < 1). The IGF-I and IGF-II concentrations in FF were similar among experimental groups and between DF and SF. Six different molecular mass bands (49, 43, 35, 30, 28, and 22 kDa) were detected by ligand blot in FF of DF and SF. Immunoprecipitation analysis identified four IGFBPs (-2, -3, -4, and -5) in FF. The 35-kDa band corresponded to IGFBP-2, the 49- and 43-kDa bands to IGFBP-3, the 28- and 22-kDa bands to IGFBP-4, and the 30-kDa band to IGFBP-5. No IGFBP-6 was found by immunoprecipitation. Absolute amounts and proportions of low molecular mass IGFBPs (-2, -4, and -5) were increased with atresia of the DF and in SF compared to E2-active DF. Conversely, although absolute amounts of IGFBP-3 remained unchanged, their proportion in FF decreased in SF compared to DF. The ratio of IGF-I to IGFBPs decreased with atresia of the DF, possibly leaving less bioavailable IGF-I to increase FSH action at the level of the follicle.