Decreased insulin-like growth factor I receptor expression and function in immortalized African Pygmy T cells Journal Article


Authors: Hattori, Y.; Vera, J. C.; Rivas, C. I.; Bersch, N.; Bailey, R. C.; Geffner, M. E.; Golde, D. W.
Article Title: Decreased insulin-like growth factor I receptor expression and function in immortalized African Pygmy T cells
Abstract: Efe Pygmies of northeast Zaire have the shortest mean adult stature of any population on earth. Although various alterations in the GH/insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) axis have been suggested, the basis for short stature in the Pygmy is unknown. We previously described IGF-I unresponsiveness in a T lymphoblast cell line derived from an Efe Pygmy, and studies in five additional lines have confirmed severe IGF-I resistance in these cells. We have now performed experiments to determine the molecular basis for the IGF- I resistance in these cells. We found markedly decreased cell surface expression of IGF-I receptors with normal ligand binding affinity. The Pygmy IGF-I receptors were not autophosphorylated and did not transmit a signal in response to physiological concentrations of IGF-I. There was a substantially decreased level of IGF-I receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in the Pygmy cells with a normal messenger ribonucleic acid half-life. The nucleotide sequence of the full-length IGF receptor complementary DNA in Pygmy 1 showed no significant variation. These results indicate decreased IGF-I receptor gene transcription and IGF-I receptor signaling as the primary variation in the Pygmy cell lines. The findings point to the IGF-I receptor as the locus governing short stature in the African Pygmy and suggest that human stature may be genetically controlled by expression of the IGF-I receptor.
Keywords: signal transduction; adult; controlled study; human cell; t-lymphocytes; gene expression; autophosphorylation; short stature; somatomedin c receptor; molecular sequence data; messenger rna; rna, messenger; nucleotide sequence; cell line, transformed; base sequence; somatomedin c; insulin-like growth factor i; ligand binding; human experiment; dna, complementary; continental population groups; intracellular membranes; cell immortalization; molecular probes; oceanic ancestry group; humans; human; male; female; priority journal; article; t lymphoblast; democratic republic of the congo; receptors, somatomedin
Journal Title: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 81
Issue: 6
ISSN: 0021-972X
Publisher: Oxford University Press  
Date Published: 1996-06-01
Start Page: 2257
End Page: 2263
Language: English
DOI: 10.1210/jc.81.6.2257
PUBMED: 8964861
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 22 November 2017 -- Source: Scopus
Altmetric
Citation Impact
BMJ Impact Analytics
MSK Authors
  1. Juan C Vera
    64 Vera
  2. Coralia I Rivas
    16 Rivas
  3. David Golde
    127 Golde