IGF2

Definition

IGF2, or Insulin-like Growth Factor 2, is a protein that plays a crucial role in growth and development, particularly during fetal development. This gene is subject to epigenetic regulation, which influences its expression through mechanisms like DNA methylation and histone modifications, resulting in variations that can affect growth and cellular function throughout life.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. IGF2 is primarily expressed during fetal development and is involved in cell growth and differentiation.
2. The expression of IGF2 is regulated by genomic imprinting, meaning that only the allele from one parent (usually the father) is active while the other is silenced.
3. Methylation of the IGF2 promoter region can lead to reduced expression, which has implications for growth disorders and cancer.
4. Changes in IGF2 expression levels are associated with various diseases, including obesity and metabolic syndromes.
5. IGF2 also has roles in adult tissues, influencing processes such as muscle repair and metabolism beyond its initial role in growth during development.

Review Questions

• How does IGF2's epigenetic regulation impact its expression during fetal development?
  • IGF2's epigenetic regulation involves mechanisms like DNA methylation and histone modifications that control its expression levels during fetal development. These modifications can silence or activate the gene depending on the specific regulatory environment. For instance, methylation patterns established early in life can influence how much IGF2 is produced, directly affecting growth rates and developmental outcomes.
• Discuss the implications of genomic imprinting on IGF2 expression and its potential effects on health outcomes.
  • Genomic imprinting of IGF2 means that only the paternal allele is expressed while the maternal allele is typically silenced. This unique pattern of expression can lead to differences in growth and development based on parental origin. If there are defects in imprinting or if the imprinting marks are altered, it may result in disorders related to growth abnormalities or increased susceptibility to certain diseases, highlighting the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in health.
• Evaluate how variations in IGF2 expression due to epigenetic factors can contribute to disease mechanisms such as cancer or metabolic disorders.
  • Variations in IGF2 expression driven by epigenetic changes like methylation can significantly contribute to disease mechanisms. In cancer, overexpression of IGF2 is often linked to tumorigenesis because it promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis. In metabolic disorders, dysregulation of IGF2 can impact insulin sensitivity and energy metabolism. Understanding these connections provides insight into how early-life epigenetic influences can shape disease risk later in life.

Related terms

Epigenetics: The study of changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence, often through chemical modifications.

Methylation: A biochemical process involving the addition of a methyl group to DNA, which can regulate gene expression by silencing genes.

Genomic Imprinting: A genetic phenomenon by which certain genes are expressed in a parent-of-origin-specific manner, affecting the inheritance pattern of those genes.