Regulation of soluble insulin-like growth factor II/mannose 6-phosphate receptor in human serum: Measurement by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

The soluble form of the insulin-like growth factor II/mannose 6- phosphate (IGF-II/M6-P) receptor has been detected in serum from a variety of mammalian species. We report the development of a highly sensitive quantitative human IGF-II/M6-P receptor immunoassay. Antibodies raised to receptor purified from a human hepatoma cell line by phosphomannan affinity chromatography were used to develop a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In this assay, the serum level of soluble receptor for healthy adult subjects was 0.70 ± 0.23 mg/L. We have shown that soluble receptor is developmentally regulated, with levels in infant (1.12 ± 0.28 mg/L) and prepubertal (1.18 ± 0.6 mg/L) subjects dropping by 40% during adolescence (0.73 ± 0.61 mg/L) and remaining constant throughout adulthood. Further, the receptor is gestationally regulated, with a highly significant association between gestational age and maternal serum receptor levels (r = 0.947; P < 0.0001). Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (0.98 ± 0.25 mg/L) and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (0.98 ± 0.25 mg/L) mildly elevated soluble receptor levels, whereas end-stage renal failure (0.75 ± 0.23 mg/L) and acromegaly (0.79 ± 0.25 mg/L) did not affect receptor levels. Additionally, we have shown that soluble receptor is present in amniotic fluid, but at a 100-fold lower concentration than serum levels. The ability to quantitate soluble IGF-II/M6-P receptor levels in serum and other fluids provides a valuable tool that will help to further elucidate the role of the receptor in human physiology and disease states.