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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2023; 131(04): 228-235
DOI: 10.1055/a-2003-5704
Article

Effects of Growth Hormone on Muscle and Bone in Female Mice: Role of Follistatin

Takashi Ohira
1   Department of Physiology and Regenerative Medicine, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
,
Naoyuki Kawao
1   Department of Physiology and Regenerative Medicine, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
,
Yoshimasa Takafuji
1   Department of Physiology and Regenerative Medicine, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
,
Yuya Mizukami
,
Hiroshi Kaji
1   Department of Physiology and Regenerative Medicine, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
› Author Affiliations
Funding Information This study was supported by funding provided by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI to T.O. (JP21K21000), to N.K. (JP19K07310), to H.K. (JP20K09514). This study was also supported by the 2022 Kindai University Research Enhancement Grant to T.O. (SR01).
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Abstract

The interactions between muscle and bone are noted in the clinical relationships between sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Myokines secreted from the skeletal muscles play roles in muscle-bone interactions related to various physiological and pathophysiological states. Although numerous evidence suggests that growth hormone (GH) influences both muscle and bone, the effects of GH on the muscle-bone interactions have remained unknown. We, therefore, investigated the influences of GH administration for 8 weeks on muscle and bone, including myokine expression, in mice with or without ovariectomy (OVX). GH administration significantly increased muscle mass in the whole body and lower limbs, as well as tissue weights of the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscles in mice with or without OVX. Moreover, it markedly increased grip strength in both mice. As for femurs, GH administration significantly increased cortical thickness and area in mice with or without OVX. Moreover, GH significantly blunted the decrease in the ratio of bone volume to tissue volume at the trabecular bone in mice with OVX. GH administration significantly decreased follistatin mRNA levels in the EDL, but not the soleus, muscles in mice with or without OVX, although it did not affect the other myokines examined. However, GH administration significantly elevated serum follistatin levels in mice. In conclusion, this study indicates that GH administration increases skeletal muscle mass and grip strength and cortical and trabecular bone-related parameters obtained by micro-computed tomography analyses in mice. However, myokine regulation might not be critical for the effects of GH on muscle and bone.

Key words

Growth hormone - Myokine - Muscle - Bone


Publication History

Received: 14 August 2022

Accepted: 22 December 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
22 December 2022

Article published online:
13 April 2023

© 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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