Age-related changes in serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-II and its binding proteins correlate with calcaneal bone mineral density among post-menopausal South-Indian women.

Background: Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system components are important regulators of bone metabolism, which have a predominant role in determining bone mineral density (BMD). While the serum levels of IGF-I are regulated by various systemic hormones and growth factors, IGF-II levels reflect the skeletal production relative to physical activity, mechanical loading, aging, race etc. Though various studies have been carried out among women of different ethnic groups to understand the relationship between serum levels of IGF-II and BMD, the results seem to be quite inconclusive.

Methods: We evaluated the same, recruiting South-Indian women who engage themselves in a wide variety of physical activities pertaining to their profession and life style.

Results: Serum levels of IGF-II and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3 showed positive correlation with calcaneal BMD, whereas IGFBP-4 showed negative correlation. These IGF system components exhibited similar correlations with serum bone formation markers and opposite trend with bone resorption marker. While both IGF-II and IGFBP-3 levels were observed to be decreased with aging and menopause, IGFBP-4 levels increased.

Conclusions: The alterations in serum levels of IGF-II and its binding proteins due to aging and menopause could be some of the major contributors of decreased calcaneal BMD observed among elderly women.