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Clinical and Functional Characteristics of the Human Arg59Ter Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Receptor (IGF1R) Mutation: Implications for a Gene Dosage Effect of the Human IGF1R

Hospital for Children and Adolescents (K.R., J.K., A.S., A.K., S.L., R.P., E.K., W.K.) and Institute for Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics (J.K.), University of Leipzig, 04109 Leipzig, Germany; and Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University Medical School (R.S.), Providence, Rhode Island 02912

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Klemens Raile, Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburgerplatz 1, D-13353 Berlin, Germany. E-mail: klemens.raile{at}charite.de.

Context: Signaling via the IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) is crucial for normal prenatal and postnatal growth. The heterozygous IGF-IR mutation Arg59Ter resulted in reduced IGF-IR expression and represents haploinsufficiency of the human IGF1R gene.

Objective: We studied clinical and in vitro aspects of a human IGF1R gene dosage effect. We provide detailed clinical data on the two half-brothers and their mother with the Arg59Ter mutation. Arg59Ter and control fibroblasts were examined for functionality of IGF-I and insulin-stimulated receptor phosphorylation and signal transduction.

Results: The two brothers presented with primary microcephaly, mild mental retardation, and intrauterine as well as postnatal growth deficits. After GH therapy (30 µg/kg·d) for 24 months, the growth deficit in the propositus decreased by +1.0 SD. There was no clinical evidence for impaired glucose tolerance or hypoglycemia in all Arg59Ter subjects. In vitro, IGF-IR-deficient Arg59Ter cells expressed less IGF-IR and unchanged insulin receptor (IR) protein. Receptor autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of downstream protein kinase B/Akt exhibited resistance to IGF-I but showed an augmented response to insulin in Arg59Ter cells. Decreased IGF-IR content was accompanied by a reduction of IGF-IR/IR receptor hybrids, and therefore, increased levels of IR/IR homodimers probably explain increased insulin-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation and Akt phosphorylation.

Conclusions: In vivo and in vitro IGF-I resistance in Arg59Ter subjects and fibroblasts indicates a human IGF1R gene dosage effect involving not only the IGF-IR, but also IGF-IR/IR hybrids. The abundance of both the IGF-IR protein and IGF-IR/IR hybrid receptors may have an impact on human growth, organ function, and glucose metabolism.

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