Heterogeneity of binding subunits of the human 150K insulin-like growth factor binding protein.

Models for the structure of the GH-dependent 150K insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGF-BP) complex include 1) a binding subunit of 40-60K mol wt associated with a larger nonbinding component, and 2) an oligomeric structure simply made up of six 25-28K monomeric IGF-BP complexes. To evaluate these alternative models we examined the IGF-binding characteristics and behavior on an SP-Sephadex ion exchange column of BP species identified by chemically cross-linking [125I]IGF-I and [125I]IGF-II. In addition, human serum was gel filtered on Sephadex G-200 in 0.05 M NH4HCO3, pH 8.0, and the 150K BP identified by binding of [125I]IGF-II to column fractions. When [125I]IGF-I or [125I]IGF-II was cross-linked to the 150K BP with disuccinimidyl suberate and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (10-15%) and autoradiography, four specifically labeled complexes of 20K, 24K, 33K, and 47K mol wt were identified. We examined the IGF-binding characteristics of these species by cross-linking [125I]IGF-I and [125I]IGF-II after incubation in the presence of increasing concentrations of unlabeled IGF-I or IGF-II. Formation of the 24K complex was inhibited more potently by IGF-II than IGF-I, whereas the relative potency of IGF-I vs. IGF-II for inhibition of the formation of the other complexes depended upon whether [125I]IGF-II or [125I]IGF-I was used. When the 150K BP complex generated from gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 was acid stripped, the only species seen with chemical cross-linking of either [125I]IGF-I or [125I]IGF-II was the 47K complex. By both conventional competitive binding studies and cross-linking [125I]IGF-I and [125I]IGF-II after incubation with increasing concentrations of unlabeled IGF-I or IGF-II, the formation of the 47K complex was usually more potently inhibited by IGF-I than IGF-II. When Cohn fraction IV extract was chromatographed on a SP-Sephadex column (pH 3) and cross-linking performed on the flow-through, the 47K species was intensely labeled, and the 20K, 33K, and 24K complexes were weakly labeled or not seen at all. The 20K, 33K, and 24K complexes could be identified after cross-linking [125I]IGF-II to the pH 7 eluate from the ion exchange column, but the 47K complex was not seen. These data provide additional physical evidence for separate binding sites with different relative affinities for IGF-I and IGF-II within the 150K BP complex.