Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2026, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (10): 2475-2483.doi: 10.12307/2026.639

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Regulation of bone metabolism by myokines under resistance exercise intervention

Li Xinying1, Zhang Wenhua1, Li Xun2, Zhang Shihua2, Wang Xiaoqiang2   

  1. 1School of Postgraduate Education, 2School of Sports and Health, Shandong Sport University, Jinan 250102, Shandong Province, China
  • Received:2025-05-06 Accepted:2025-06-14 Online:2026-04-08 Published:2025-08-28
  • Contact: Wang Xiaoqiang, PhD, Associate professor, School of Sports and Health, Shandong Sport University, Jinan 250102, Shandong Province, China
  • About author:Li Xinying, MS candidate, School of Postgraduate Education, Shandong Sport University, Jinan 250102, Shandong Province, China Zhang Wenhua, MS candidate, School of Postgraduate Education, Shandong Sport University, Jinan 250102, Shandong Province, China Li Xinying and Zhang Wenhua contributed equally to this work.
  • Supported by:
    Shandong Province Social Science Planning Program, No. 21DTYJ03 (to WXQ)

Abstract: BACKGROUND:  Resistance exercise not only directly stimulates bone tissue through mechanical stress, but also indirectly regulates bone metabolism by inducing the secretion of various myokines from muscles.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the skeletal regulation mechanism of myokines under resistance exercise from the perspective of the whole “musculoskeletal system.”
METHODS: We searched for relevant literature published from database inception to July 2024 in the Web of Science, PubMed, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP databases. The search terms were “resistance exercise, myokines, bone metabolism, osteoporosis, sarcopenia” in English and Chinese. Finally, 59 articles were included for review. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Studies have shown that myostatin plays a negative regulatory role in muscle growth and development, and its reduction can promote muscle growth. Resistance exercise may indirectly promote bone health by reducing myostatin levels, but the specific mechanism needs to be further explored. Irisin, as a newly discovered myokine, has been shown to have a pro-bone formation effect. Resistance exercise can significantly increase the level of irisin, which in turn may promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts through the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and other mechanisms. Matrix metalloproteinase-2 plays an important role in bone remodeling, degrading bone matrix components and promoting the balance between bone resorption and formation. Resistance exercise may contribute to the maintenance of normal structure and function of bone tissue by regulating matrix metalloproteinase-2 activity. Insulin-like growth factor-1 is an important growth factor that significantly promotes bone growth and development. Resistance exercise can increase the expression and secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1, which in turn promotes the proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts, and improves bone density and strength. To conclude, resistance exercise positively affects bone metabolism by regulating the expression and activity of myostatin, irisin, matrix metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-1, which can help prevent and treat osteoporosis. However, the specific mechanisms still need to be studied, thereby further elucidating the overall regulatory effects of resistance exercise on the musculoskeletal system.

Key words: resistance exercise, myokines, bone metabolism, osteoporosis, sarcopenia

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