Description
Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Receptor is a protein found on the surface of human cells. It is a transmembrane receptor that is activated by a hormone called Insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) and by a related hormone called IGF-2. It belongs to the large class of tyrosine kinase receptors. IGF-1 plays an important role in growth and continues to have anabolic effects in adults - meaning that it can induce hypertrophy of skeletal muscle and other target tissues. Using a yeast 2-hybrid system, Dey et al.(1998) identified a regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol(PI) 3-kinase, PIK3R3, as a binding partner of IGF1R. Functional interaction between BRCA1 and SP1 in the regulation of the IGF1R gene was studied in Schneider cells, a Drosophila cell line which lacks endogenous SP1. In these cells, BRCA1 suppressed 45% of the SP1-induced trans-activation of the IGF1R promoter. Overexpression of the Grb10-binding fragment of Gigyf1 resulted in a significant increase in Igf1-stimulated Igf1r tyrosine phosphorylation. Like the insulin receptor, the IGF-1 receptor is a receptor tyrosine kinase - meaning it signals by causing the addition of a phosphate molecule on particular tyrosines. IGF-1 activates the Insulin receptor at approximately 0.1x the potency of insulin. Part of this signaling may be via IGF1R-Insulin Receptor heterodimers