Role of myostatin in metabolism

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Research Abstract from Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2004

Jul;7(4):451-7.

Role of myostatin in metabolism.

-Cadavid NF, Bhasin S.

Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, R.

Drew University, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review papers on myostatin published in 2003 and

early 2004. Myostatin is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass

produced in this tissue. Inactivating mutations of the myostatin gene or

interaction of myostatin protein with follistatin and other inhibitory

proteins induce a hypermuscular phenotype in cattle and mice; this is

assumed to result from inhibition of muscle cell proliferation and DNA

and protein synthesis (antianabolic effects). Myostatin also controls

muscle mass in other animals, and appears to affect adipose tissue mass.

RECENT FINDINGS: New protein interactions inhibiting myostatin that lead

to double muscling, as well as the induction of hypermuscularity with

myostatin antibodies, or the generation of a myostatin conditional

knockout mouse, have been reported. Conversely, a transgenic mouse

over-expressing myostatin and exhibiting reduced muscle mass in a

gender-specific process has been obtained. In addition, novel

inactivating mutations in the myostatin gene and genetic loci regulating

myostatin effects, and the characterization of the myostatin gene and

its effects on metabolism in fish and chicken have been described.

Finally, the regulation of myostatin levels by growth hormone,

glucorticoids, anabolic agents, nutritional status and exercise, the

characterization of myostatin signaling pathways, and the clarification

of myostatin effects on cell replication and differentiation, are other

important recent findings.

SUMMARY: These studies suggest that proteins and drugs that inactivate

myostatin, or interfere with its binding to its receptor, may be useful

for the therapy of wasting and degenerative muscle diseases and for the

food industry. Other promising approaches may derive from new insights

into the biochemical cascade that mediates myostatin effects, and into

the role of myostatin in the regulation of fat metabolism and of heart

and muscle regeneration after injury.