L A Bach Endothelial cells as IGF targets 54:1 R1–R13 Review Endothelial cells and the IGF system Correspondence 1,2 Leon A Bach should be addressed to L A Bach 1Department of Medicine (Alfred), Monash University, Prahran 3181, Australia Email 2Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Melbourne 3004, Australia
[email protected] Abstract Endothelial cells line blood vessels and modulate vascular tone, thrombosis, inflammatory Key Words responses and new vessel formation. They are implicated in many disease processes including " insulin-like growth factor atherosclerosis and cancer. IGFs play a significant role in the physiology of endothelial cells " binding protein by promoting migration, tube formation and production of the vasodilator nitric oxide. " receptor These actions are mediated by the IGF1 and IGF2/mannose 6-phosphate receptors and are " endothelial cell modulated by a family of high-affinity IGF binding proteins. IGFs also increase the number " angiogenesis and function of endothelial progenitor cells, which may contribute to protection from atherosclerosis. IGFs promote angiogenesis, and dysregulation of the IGF system may contribute to this process in cancer and eye diseases including retinopathy of prematurity and diabetic retinopathy. In some situations, IGF deficiency appears to contribute to endothelial dysfunction, whereas IGF may be deleterious in others. These differences may be due to tissue-specific endothelial cell phenotypes or IGFs having distinct roles in different phases of vascular disease. Further studies are therefore required to delineate the Journal of Molecular therapeutic potential of IGF system modulation in pathogenic processes. Endocrinology (2015) 54, R1–R13 Journal of Molecular Endocrinology Introduction Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and IGF2 are essential metabolically active and regulate vascular tone, thrombosis, for normal pre- and postnatal growth and development inflammatory responses and new vessel formation.