Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (24): 5179-5186.doi: 10.12307/2025.736

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Treatment and repair of musculoskeletal degenerative diseases and injuries from the perspective of muscle-bone crosstalk mechanism

Zhang Xingyu, Wu Dou, Zhao Enzhe, Song Xubin, Zhang Xiaolun   

  1. Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University,Shanxi Bethune Hospital,Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences,Tongji Shanxi Hospital,Taiyuan030032,Shanxi Province,China

  • Received:2024-09-21 Accepted:2024-10-31 Online:2025-08-28 Published:2025-01-25
  • Contact: Wu Dou, PhD, Chief physician, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University,Shanxi Bethune Hospital,Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences,Tongji Shanxi Hospital,Taiyuan030032,Shanxi Province,China
  • About author:Zhang Xingyu, MS, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University,Shanxi Bethune Hospital,Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences,Tongji Shanxi Hospital,Taiyuan030032,Shanxi Province,China
  • Supported by:
    Shanxi Province Basic Research Program Project, No. 202303021222326 (to ZEZ)

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Degenerative diseases caused by bone and muscle degeneration are major reasons for the decline in physical function and mobility, increased fragility fractures, and high mortality rates in the elderly, significantly affecting their health and quality of life.
OBJECTIVE: To review the research progress in the mechanisms of muscle-bone interaction and the etiology, prevention, and treatment of related diseases.
METHODS: CNKI, WanFang and PubMed databases were searched for relevant literature published from 2014 to 2024. The search terms were “muscle-bone crosstalk, musculoskeletal system, inter-tissue communication, myokines, osteokines, osteosarcopenia, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, bone regeneration, fibro-adipogenic progenitors” in Chinese and English. By reading the articles, we eliminated irrelevant, outdated, and poorly focused literature, and finally 94 articles were included for review.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Mechanical interaction, secretion factor interaction, and stem cell interaction between muscle and bone are crucial for the metabolism and regeneration regulation of the musculoskeletal system. Systemic interventions targeting biochemical signals of muscle factors (such as myostatin and irisin) and bone factors (such as nuclear factor-κB receptor-activating factor ligand and sclerostin) can improve the quality and function of skeletal muscle and bone, and have positive effects on fracture healing. In recent years, it has been found that related stem cells in the musculoskeletal system can interact, with the activation of muscle progenitor cells (such as fibro-adipogenic progenitors) having a significant impact on bone growth, repair, and regeneration. Research on the mechanisms of muscle-bone interaction can provide insights into the etiology, prevention, and treatment of related diseases. However, there are currently no effective clinical treatments for muscle-bone comorbidities, with most research still at the cellular and animal experiment stage. Therefore, extensive research is needed in the future to gradually move from experiments to clinical applications, developing more targeted therapies and drugs to better serve clinical needs.

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点:组织构建;骨细胞;软骨细胞;细胞培养;成纤维细胞;血管内皮细胞;骨质疏松;组织工程

Key words: muscle-bone interaction, musculoskeletal system, inter-tissue communication, myokines, osteokines, osteosarcopenia, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, bone regeneration, fibro-adipogenic progenitors, engineered tissue construction

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