Muscle-derived myostatin is a major endocrine driver of follicle-stimulating hormone synthesis.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-17-2025
Original Citation
Ongaro L,
Zhou X,
Wang Y,
Schultz H,
Zhou Z,
Buddle E,
Brûlé E,
Lin Y,
Schang G,
Hagg A,
Castonguay R,
Liu Y,
Su G,
Seidah N,
Ray K,
Karp S,
Boehm U,
Ruf-Zamojski F,
Sealfon S,
Walton K,
Lee S,
Bernard D.
Muscle-derived myostatin is a major endocrine driver of follicle-stimulating hormone synthesis. Science. 2025;387(6731):329-36.
Keywords
Animals, Myostatin, Mice, Female, Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Muscle, Skeletal, Pituitary Gland, Activins, Ovary, Fertility, Mice, Inbred C57BL
JAX Source
Science. 2025;387(6731):329-36.
ISSN
1095-9203
PMID
39818879
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi4736
Abstract
Myostatin is a paracrine myokine that regulates muscle mass in a variety of species, including humans. In this work, we report a functional role for myostatin as an endocrine hormone that directly promotes pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) synthesis and thereby ovarian function in mice. Previously, this FSH-stimulating role was attributed to other members of the transforming growth factor-β family, the activins. Our results both challenge activin's eponymous role in FSH synthesis and establish an unexpected endocrine axis between skeletal muscle and the pituitary gland. Our data also suggest that efforts to antagonize myostatin to increase muscle mass may have unintended consequences on fertility.