Skeletal muscle-derived myostatin is a major endocrine driver of follicle-stimulating hormone synthesis

Myostatin is a paracrine myokine that regulates muscle mass in a variety of species, including humans. Here, we report a functional role for myostatin as an endocrine hormone directly promoting pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) synthesis and thereby ovarian function. Previously, this FSH-stimulating role was attributed to other members of the transforming growth factor family, the activins. The results both challenge activins eponymous role in FSH synthesis and establish an endocrine axis between skeletal muscle and the pituitary gland. The data also suggest that efforts to antagonize myostatin to treat muscle wasting disorders or lean mass loss in individuals treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists may have unintended consequences on fertility.肌抑素（myostatin）是一种在包括人类在内的多种物种中调控肌肉质量的旁分泌肌因子。本研究报道了肌抑素作为内分泌激素的一项功能性角色：其可直接促进垂体促卵泡激素（follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH）的合成，进而调控卵巢功能。此前，这类促FSH合成的作用被归因于转化生长因子家族的其他成员，其中便包括激活素。本研究结果既挑战了激活素在FSH合成中其标志性的固有作用，同时确立了骨骼肌与垂体之间的内分泌调控轴。此外，该研究数据还提示，若通过拮抗肌抑素来治疗肌肉萎缩症，或帮助接受胰高血糖素样肽-1（GLP-1）受体激动剂治疗的患者改善瘦体重丢失状况，可能会对生育能力产生未预期的负面影响。