Myostatin (MSTN) was found 25 years ago. It is a member of the transforming growth factor- family, and is mostly made by the fibres of skeletal muscle. Myostatin is a glycoprotein that is found in much of the muscle. It alters muscle fiber structure and changes muscle mass by altering target genes' expression. Myostatin is a protein, a sequence of amino acids. Myostatin is present in almost every vertebrate. Myostatin can actually stop muscle growth by preventing it from getting too big. Because the genes are defective, mice lacking high myostatin release can produce lots of muscle very quickly. Whether in laboratory or natural environments, myostatin gene mutations can result in marked muscle gain and the development of a double muscle.
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Myostatin
The growth of skeletal muscle is controlled by MSTN. Its gene has been identified and sequenced in pigs, people, sheep, and cattle. In zoo-based livestock and poultry breeding, too many decisions about livestock and poultry growth rate result in the over-production of skeletal muscle, fat, and feed conversion. So research in the MSTN gene is also very important for limiting animal/poultry muscle expansion and muscle development. And then a myogenic factor called myostatin was recently identified. It is very evident in the insulin resistance. Not only does it participate in skeletal muscle growth and differentiation, but also regulates body metabolism and the regulation of insulin resistance. So, myostatin might also be involved in the onset and progression of metabolic diseases, and it will likely be another target for metabolic disease prevention and treatment.
Fig. 1 Myostatin muscle pathway (Abati, E., et al. 2002).
Physiological Roles of Myostatin
Myostatin has a multilayered influence over muscle mass regulation in the body. These studies explained how myostatin was a negative regulator of muscle growth that regulated the ratio between muscle hypertrophy and atrophy. Through the activation of myogenic differentiation and muscle protein degradation, myostatin modulates many of the processes that are required for muscle homeostasis. Physiological information on myostatin is a source of insights into the function and development of muscle.
Clinical Relevanceoles
Myostatin is important for everything from muscle to many diseases. Myostatin signalling was not properly activated in disorders such as muscular dystrophy, cachexia and sarcopenia. Such associations need to be known, so that individual treatments can be designed to minimise patients' burdens of muscle-related illnesses.
Muscular Dystrophy
Perhaps myostatin's most renowned case is muscular dystrophy, a group of genetic conditions where muscles weaken and eventually degenerate. Myostatin becomes increasingly weaker in the case of diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, where if left unchecked, it can lead to the slow death of muscle. That's why myostatin is so vital to muscle integrity.
Cachexia and Sarcopenia
Cachexia is a metabolic syndrome prevalent in chronic diseases such as cancer and accompanied by muscle and weight loss. Myostatin controls muscle volume, and it's the reason for cachexia. The same goes for sarcopenia (muscle loss due to ageing) that also emphasizes myostatin's function in maintaining muscle integrity over the lifespan.
Future Directions
Although myostatin science is rapidly developing, scientists are still working on novel therapeutics that engage myostatin signalling to treat diseases of the muscle. We can now identify the intricate physiology by which myostatin impacts muscle biology and launch new therapies that could transform muscle health and disease management.
Conclusion
Myostatin is a skeletal muscle mass regulator with significant impacts on muscle growth, repair, and dysfunction. With continued research and collaboration, scientists are expected to gain new insights into the complex functions of myostatin and its therapeutic utility in treating muscle diseases.
References
- Lee, S., et al.. Regulation of muscle mass by myostatin. Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. 2004, 20(1): 61-86.
- Esposito, P., et al. Myostatin: Basic biology to clinical application. Advances in clinical chemistry 2022, 106 : 181-234.
- Abati, E., et al. Inhibition of myostatin and related signaling pathways for the treatment of muscle atrophy in motor neuron diseases. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 2022, 79(7): 374.
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