Immunodetection of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) in the sera of different animal species

Authors: ROMANA MASNIKOSA, IVONA BARICEVIC, DRAGANA LAGUNDZIN, OLGICA NEDIC

Abstract: Knowledge regarding the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system and the methods for the detection and quantitation of IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) is greater for the human species than for other animal species. This is mainly because antibodies specifically raised against nonhuman IGFBPs are rarely commercially available. We aimed to investigate which of the antibodies directed against human IGFBPs could be used for the detection of IGFBPs present in other species. We used commercially available antibodies, raised against human IGFBP-1 through IGFBP-4, in order to recognize the corresponding IGFBPs in the sera of different animal species: human, bovine, equine, porcine, ovine, guinea pig, rat, and murine. Serum samples were analyzed by SDS-PAGE followed by western blotting, using 12 different polyclonal antibodies and antisera raised against IGFBPs as primary antibodies. Detection of IGFBP-1, -2, -3, and -4 in the sera of animals was achieved to a different extent depending on the primary anti-IGFBP antibodies used. The results of this article may be considered as an initial guide in the designing of experiments in which the detection of animal IGFBPs is required.

Keywords: Western blotting, IGFBPs, human, bovine, equine, porcine, ovine, guinea pig, rat, murine

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