Insulin-like Growth Factor-2 (IGF2) is important for the regulation of human embryonic growth and development, and for adults' physiology. Incorrect processing of the IGF2 precursor, pro-IGF2(156), leads to the formation of two IGF2 proforms, big-IGF2(87) and big-IGF2(104). Unprocessed and mainly non-glycosylated IGF2 proforms are found at abnormally high levels in certain diseases, but their mode of action is still unclear. Here, we found that pro-IGF2(156) has the lowest ability to form its inactivating complexes with IGF-Binding Proteins and has higher proliferative properties in cells than IGF2 and other IGF prohormones. We also showed that big-IGF2(104) has a seven-fold higher binding affinity for the IGF2 receptor than IGF2, and that pro-IGF2(87) binds and activates specific receptors and stimulates cell growth similarly to the mature IGF2. The properties of these pro-IGF2 forms, especially of pro-IGF2(156) and big-IGF2(104), indicate them as hormones that may be associated with human diseases related to the accumulation of IGF-2 proforms in the circulation.

Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Science Charles University 12800 Prague 2 Czech Republic

Department of Cell Biology Faculty of Science Charles University 12800 Prague 2 Czech Republic

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Czech Academy of Sciences Flemingovo nám 2 116 10 Prague 6 Czech Republic

Institute of Physiology Czech Academy of Sciences Vídeňská 1083 Prague 4 Czech Republic

York Structural Biology Laboratory Department of Chemistry University of York Heslington York YO10 5DD UK

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