Characterization of insulin‐like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP) and regulation of IGFBP‐4 in bone marrow stromal cells

Summary. Bone marrow stromal cells synthesize and secrete insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐I and IGF‐binding proteins (IGFBP). IGFBPs may modulate the action of IGF‐I or IGF‐II on haemopoiesis. However, the specific IGFBPs produced by various stromal cell types have not been identified. We examined six different stromal phenotypes for IGFBP protein and IGFBP‐1 to ‐6 mRNA expression. [¹²⁵I]IGF‐I ligand blot analysis of conditioned medium demonstrate different patterns of IGFBP secretion by each cell type. The most prominent IGFBPs were 24 and 29 kD species, consistent with IGFBP4 and IGFBP5, respectively. RNase protection assays demonstrate that, overall, stromal cells express IGFBP‐2 to ‐6 mRNAs, with IGFBP4, IGFBP5 and IGFBP6 mRNAs predominating. Since agents that modulate cAMP levels may influence haemopoiesis via the release of stromal‐derived cytokines, we determined the effect of forskolin, a cAMP agonist, on IGFBP4 expression in TC‐1 cells. Forskolin (10 ⁵ M) up‐regulated IGFBP4 mRNA and protein secretion in a time‐dependent manner. These findings suggest that IGFBP‐4, ‐5 and ‐6 released by stromal cells may be key modulators of the haemopoietic response to IGFs. Release of IGFBP4 by agents that increase cAMP may be an important mechanism involved in regulating IGF bioavailability in the marrow microenvironment.