Muscle-bone crosstalk: involvement of myokines in the regulation of osteoporosis

Abstract

Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic skeletal disease, the development of which is co-regulated by multiple tissues throughout the body. As interdependent parts of the locomotor system, muscle and bone are in cross-talk and work together to maintain the dynamic balance of the musculoskeletal system. Previous studies viewed the musculoskeletal system as a mechanical structure and focused on the biomechanical interactions between the two. In recent years, the biochemical crosstalk between bone and skeletal muscle as endocrine organs has been emphasized. In particular, skeletal muscle regulates bone metabolism and OP development by secreting myokines. A comprehensive summary and update of the findings related to the regulation of bone metabolism by myokines in muscle-bone biochemical crosstalk is presented. In this review, we will classify myokines according to their influence on bone formation, bone resorption, and both, in order to gain insights into the pathogenesis of OP and to explore new therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, we also summarize the current myogenic factors or possible myogenic factors with potential research value on bone metabolism, hopefully providing directions for the research related to the musculoskeletal cross-talk and the regulation of bone metabolism by myogenic factors.

Keywords

• osteoporosis
• muscle-bone crosstalk
• skeletal muscle
• bone metabolism
• myokines