Expression profiling of IGFs and IGF receptors in piglets with intrauterine growth restriction

In order to test the hypothesis that expression levels of insulin-like growth factor system is altered in piglets with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), the present study was conducted to compare the expression levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFR1, IGFR2 and IGFBP5 in m. longissimus, liver and kidney in 21-day-old IUGR piglets with normal birth weight (NBW) piglets. Our results showed that the expression level of insulin-like growth factor 1 was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in m. longissimus, liver and kidney of the IUGR piglets compared with the NBW piglets. However, there were no differences in the expression levels of IGF2, IGF1R, IGF2R and IGFBP5 in all tissues tested between NBW and IUGR piglets.