Functional and complementary phosphorylation state attributes of human insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) isoforms resolved by free flow electrophoresis

Abstract

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common disorder in which a fetus is unable to achieve its genetically determined potential size. High concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) have been associated with FGR. Phosphorylation of IGFBP-1 is a mechanism by which insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) bioavailability can be modulated in FGR. In this study a novel strategy was designed to determine a link between IGF-I affinity and the concomitant phosphorylation state char-acteristics of IGFBP-1 phosphoisoforms. Using free flow electrophoresis (FFE), multiple IGFBP-1 phosphoisoforms in amniotic fluid were resolved within pH 4.43-5.09. The binding of IGFBP-1 for IGF-I in each FFE fraction was determined with BIAcore biosensor analysis. The IGF-I affinity (KD) for different IGFBP-1 isoforms ranged between 1.12e-08 and 4.59e-07. LC-MS/MS characterization revealed four phosphorylation sites, Ser(P)98, Ser(P)101, Ser(P)119, and Ser(P)169, of which Ser(P)98 was new. Although the IGF-I binding affinity for IGFBP-1 phosphoisoforms across the FFE fractions did not correlate with phosphopeptide intensities for Ser(P)101, Ser(P) 98, and Ser(P)169 sites, a clear association was recorded with Ser(P)119. Our data demonstrate that phosphorylation at Ser 119 plays a significant role in modulating affinity of IGFBP-1 for IGF-I. In addition, an altered profile of IGFBP-1 phosphoisoforms was revealed between FGR and healthy pregnancies that may result from potential site-specific phosphorylation. This study provides a strong basis for use of this novel approach in establishing the linkage between phosphorylation of IGFBP-1 and FGR. This overall strategy will also be broadly applicable to other phosphoproteins with clinical and functional significance. © 2009 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.