Hans Ørskov

Using affinity chromatography and surface plasmon resonance analysis, we have identified cubilin, a 460-kDa receptor heavily expressed in kidney proximal tubule epithelial cells, as an albumin binding protein. Dogs with a functional defect in cubilin excrete large amounts of albumin in combination with virtually abolished proximal tubule reabsorption, showing the critical role for cubilin in the uptake of albumin by the proximal tubule. Also, by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry we show that previously identified low-molecular-weight renal albumin binding proteins are fragments of cubilin. In addition, we find that mice lacking the endocytic receptor megalin show altered urinary excretion, and reduced tubular reabsorption, of albumin. Because cubilin has been shown to colocalize and interact with megalin, we propose a mechanism of albumin reabsorption mediated by both of these proteins. This process may prove important for understanding interstitial renal inflammation and fibrosis caused by proximal tubule uptake of an increased load of filtered albumin.

Using ultrafiltration by centrifugation we have isolated the free, unbound fractions of insulin-like growth factor I and II (free IGF-I and IGF-II) in human serum. In this way near in vivo conditions could be maintained before and during isolation. The recovery was 80 to 100% in the ultrafiltrates, which contained no detectable amounts of IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) as measured by Western ligand blotting and IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 immunoassays. The concentration of free peptides was measured in two ultrasensitive non-competitive IGF-I and IGF-II time-resolved fluoroimmunoassays. We found that (i) equilibrium between free and protein-complexed IGF was strongly dependent on re-establishment of in vivo conditions (temperature, pH, ionic milieu and dilution); (ii) metabolic events (glucose load and fasting) caused significant changes in free IGF-I and IGF-II levels without concomitant changes in total circulating levels of IGFs; (iii) in 49 healthy adult subjects (20 to above 60 years) free IGF-I was inversely related to age and ranged from 950 +/- 150 ng/l (mean +/- S.E.M.) (20-30 years) to 410 +/- 70 ng/l (> 60 years). The relative percentage was, however, unchanged, being 0.38 +/- 0.02% of total IGF-I. In contrast, free IGF-II was independent of age, being 1,480 +/- 80 ng/l (approximately 0.20 +/- 0.01% of total IGF-II).