VENTRICULAR EXPRESSION AND CIRCULATING LEVELS OF INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR-I IN HEART-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

1. Insulin-like growth factor I is a major mediator of growth-promotin g activities, We studied the ventricular insulin-like growth factor I gene expression at mRNA and peptide levels in 24 heart transplant reci pients (14 children and 10 adults), using 'slot blot' hybridization wi th insulin-like growth factor I cDNA probe and a specific radioimmunoa ssay, 2. Ventricular insulin-like growth factor I mRNA was detected in all the cardiac transplant children but was below the limit of detect ion transplant adults, Ventricular factor I levels were significantly higher in the transplant children [174 +/- 15 (SEM; range 39-950) pg/m g soluble protein] than in transplant adults [39 +/- 2 (range 14-85) P < 0.01, n = 14]. growth factor I in the cardiac transplant children [ 164 +/- 10 (range 105-192) ng/ml] and adults [176 +/- 15 (range 126-24 4) ng/ml] were within normal ranges for children and adults. 3. These results suggest that the human heart is a site for insulin-like growth factor I production and provide support for an autocrine role for ins ulin-like growth factor I in the ventricle, despite cardiac denervatio n.