INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTORS AND THEIR BINDING-PROTEINS IN BENIGN AND MALIGNANT UTERINE DISEASES

Evidence available supports the concept that the proliferative respons e of the uterus to oestrogen is through activation of local regulatory factors, IGFs amongst them. Oestrogen stimulates the expression of IG F-I and IGF-I receptor mRNAs, whereas progesterone induces the major e ndometrial IGFBP, IGFBP-1, which is proposed to act as an inhibitor of IGF actions in normal endometrium. Since both benign and malignant ut erine diseases are related to oestrogen action, the hormonally regulat ed local IGF system may play an important role in the pathophysiology of uterine diseases. In support of this hypothesis, we found differenc es in the expression of IGFBP mRNAs and in the presence of translated IGFBPs between benign and malignant uterine tissues. Furthermore, rece ptor binding of IGF-I has been found to be higher in neoplastic uterin e tissues compared to normal tissues.