INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-II MANNOSE-6-PHOSPHATE RECEPTORS ARE TRANSIENTLY INCREASED IN THE RAT DISTAL INTESTINAL EPITHELIUM AFTER RESECTION

The levels of insulin-like growth factor II/mannose-6-phosphate (IGF-II/Man-6-P) receptor and the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor were measured in the intestinal epithelium after 50% resection of the small intestine. Controls were either pair-fed to match the reduced food intake of the resected group or fed ad libitum. [I-125]IGF-II binding was transiently increased 2-fold in the distal segment of the small intestine 3 days after resection compared with the pair-fed control. Receptor levels increased from 2.60 nmol/mg protein (pair-fed) to 4.63 nmol/mg protein (resected; p < 0.001) with no significant change in affinity of IGF-II binding (K(d) = 11.2 vs. 9.8 nmol/l). The increase in IGF-II/Man-6-P receptors coincided with increased activity of thymidine kinase in the distal intestinal segment after the resection. [I-125]IGF-I binding remained unchanged after the resection. However, the decreased food intake of the pair-fed and resected groups caused a 2-fold increase in the amount of IGF-I receptors (0.18 nmol/mg protein; p < 0.001) compared with the control fed ad libitum (0.08 nmol/mg protein). IGF-II/Man-6-P receptors were only moderately increased during restricted food intake (2.60 vs. 1.78 nmol/mg protein; p < 0.005). These results suggest that the IGF-II/Man-6-P receptor may play a role in the adaptive regenerative response of the intestinal epithelium.