BOVINE IGF CARRIER PROTEIN TO ENHANCE GROWTH, MILK PRODUCTION, AND WOUND HEALING

THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A NOVEL, COST-EFFECTIVE CARRIER VEHICLE FOR BOVINE INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR (IGF): THE BOVINE IGF CARRIER PROTEIN (BBP3).BBP3 WILL BIND IGF WITH HIGH AFFINITY, PROTECT IT FROM DEGRADATION, AND SLOWLY RELEASE IT IN AN ACTIVE FORM. THEREFORE, BBP3 WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE BIOACTIVITY OF IGF, PARTICULARLY IN GROWTH PROMOTION, MILK PRODUCTION AND WOUND HEALING. INCORPORATION OF IGF COMPLEXED WITH ITSCARRIER PROTEIN BBP3 INTO TRADITIONAL CONTROLLED RELEASE DELIVERY SYSTEMS WILL ALSO GREATLY IMPROVE IGF'S BIOACTIVITY, SINCE IGF WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROTECTED FROM RAPID DEGRADATION UPON RELEASE FROM THE CONTROLLED RELEASE DEVICE. IN ADDITION, BBP3 IS NATURAL, SAFE, AND BIODEGRADABLE. THE AIMS OF THE PHASE I PROJECT ARE TO ISOLATE THE GENE ENCODING BBP3 USING HUMAN BP3CDNA FRAGMENTSAS PROBES, EXPRESS BBP3 IN E. COLI, PURIFY RECOMBINANT-DERIVED BBP3, AND DEMONSTRATE ITS ABILITY TO PROTECT IGF FROM DEGRADATION AND ELIMINATION IN VIVO. DURING PHASE II, THE ABILITY OF BBP3 TO POTENTIATE IGF'S GROWTH AND WOUND HEALING ACTIONS WILL BE DEMONSTRATED. THISTECHNOLOGY CAN BE EXTENDED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF IGF CARRIERPROTEINS FOR OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. THE WORLDWIDE MARKET FOR ENHANCERS OF ANIMAL GROWTH AND MILKPRODUCTION IN THE BEEF AND DAIRY INDUSTRIES IS ESTIMATED AT OVER A BILLION DOLLARS. THUS THE INTRODUCTION OF A NOVEL, LONG-ACTING, SAFE, COST-EFFECTIVE, NATURAL, AND BIODEGRADABLE GROWTH ENHANCER WILL HAVE VAST COMMERCIAL VALUE. COMPLETION OF THIS PROPOSED PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BOVINE IGF CARRIER PROTEIN WHICH WILLSIGNIFICANTLY POTENTIATE THE ACTIONS OF IGF ON ANIMAL GROWTHPROMOTION, ENHANCED MILK PRODUCTION, AND ACCELERATED WOUND HEALING.