Identification of IGF binding proteins in bovine milk and the demonstration of IGFBP-3 synthesis and release by bovine mammary epithelial cells

Insulin-like growth factor system components are synthesized and secreted by mammary epithelial cells and multiple IGF binding proteins (IGFBP) are found in milk of various species. This study was conducted to identify the IGFBP in bovine milk, to compare them with those found in blood, and to identify the cell(s) responsible for mammary IGFBP synthesis. Bovine blood, milk, and cell culture-conditioned media were analyzed and characterized with Western ligand blot procedures for specific IGFBP. Electrophoresis and [I-125]IGF-II ligand blot analyses of the samples indicated that, unlike serum and mammary primary cell culture-conditioned media, milk required removal of casein in order to accurately disclose all IGFBP. Immunoprecipitation studies identified IGFBP-2, -3, -4, and -5 in blood, milk, and primary cell culture conditioned media. The IGFBP were present at higher concentrations in serum than in milk, and milk concentrations were greater than that shown in conditioned media from primary cultures of bovine mammary cells. Northern analysis detected IGFBP-3 messenger RNA in extracts from fresh tissue and cells in culture, and in situ hybridization studies with fresh tissue utilizing probes for IGFBP-3 and alpha S-1-casein showed that the mRNA for IGFBP-3 is predominant in the secretory epithelial cells, when compared to other tissue cell types.