Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2019, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (2): 258-259.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.244787

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Emerging roles for insulin-like growth factor binding protein like protein 1

Yingqian Li, Eric Zhao, Dong Feng Chen   

  1. Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
  • Online:2019-02-15 Published:2019-02-15
  • Contact: Dong Feng Chen, MD, PhD, Dongfeng_chen@meei.harvard.edu.
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (EY025913 and EY025259) and the Massachusetts Lion’s Foundation (to DFC).

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Abstract:

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) mediate diverse cellular processes in various tissues, including the central nervous system (CNS) and thus require robust and delicate regulatory mechanisms. It is now known that IGF signaling is regulated by a superfamily of IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) which share significant sequence homology and are secreted to the extracellular environment to bind IGF. Currently, there are 6 known IGFBPs and 10 IGFBP related proteins. A new member of the IGFBP superfamily, IGFBP like protein 1 (IGFBPL1), was then identified and shown to have tumor suppressor like properties. Since then, little has been reported about the physiological roles of IGFBPL1. Recently, IGFBPL1 was found to be critically involved in mediating IGF-1 signaling to control CNS axon growth and regeneration. The study has uncovered a new signaling loop in the regulation of the pleiotropic functions of IGF-1 and presents a possible novel pharmacological manipulation for promoting nerve regeneration and repair.