At the invitation of the editorial office of European Cells & Materials (eCM), the official journal of the European Orthopaedic Research Society (EORS) and the AO Research Institute (ARI), Professor Qinghua Zhao's team from the Department of Orthopedics at Shanghai General Hospital published an invited review in the "OP mechanisms" section in November 2024. The article, titled "Muscle-bone crosstalk: involvement of Myokines in the regulation of osteoporosis," was written by Guangzhen Mao as first author, with Professor Qinghua Zhao as corresponding author and Yanan Chen as co-author.
The European Orthopaedic Research Society is an important and authoritative platform connecting orthopedic researchers across Europe. Its official publications include Bone & Joint Research (BJR) and eCM. In November 2023, Professor Zhao's team published "Interleukin-19 promotes bone resorption by suppressing osteoprotegerin expression in BMSCs in a lipopolysaccharide-induced bone loss mouse model" in BJR, a JCR Q1 journal. The AO Foundation is a leading global organization in orthopedic science that promotes innovation in orthopedic research. Its official journal, eCM, is widely recognized for rigorous peer review and high-quality content. Founded in 1999, eCM was the world's first open-access online journal and has remained in the JCR Q1 category for orthopedics for six consecutive years.
Osteoporosis is a systemic disease regulated by multiple systems, and muscle and bone interact closely in a process known as muscle-bone crosstalk. Their biochemical interaction has become a research focus. Loss of muscle mass is associated with bone loss, a condition referred to as osteosarcopenia. Although mechanical interaction contributes to bone loss, research shows that the musculoskeletal system also involves important biochemical communication. Myokines are cytokines and peptides secreted by muscle tissue. They influence bone metabolism and function through multiple pathways and can be classified as bone-forming, bone-resorbing, or dual-effect regulators. Exercise, aging, and inflammation are major physiologic and pathologic factors affecting myokine regulation. A comprehensive review is still needed to clarify biochemical crosstalk between muscle and bone, particularly the regulation of bone metabolism by muscle-derived factors.
The article reviews relevant literature published since 2003, details recent advances in the role of myokines in bone-metabolism regulation, and examines key physiologic and pathologic factors that affect myokine release. It concludes that myokines have broad potential in research on muscle-bone interaction. Further study of these regulatory effects and mechanisms may provide detailed theoretical and practical guidance for osteoporosis prevention and treatment, as well as new perspectives and strategies in the study of multi-organ communication in osteoporosis.
This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China General Program, the Shanghai Natural Science Foundation, and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical-Engineering Interdisciplinary Fund.