Ferlin Alberto, De Toni Luca, Sandri Marco, Foresta Carlo
Department of Medicine, Operative Unit of Andrology and Medicine of Human Reproduction, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy.
Br J Pharmacol. 2017 May;174(10):1015-1024. doi: 10.1111/bph.13490. Epub 2016 May 5.
Skeletal muscles and bones form a joined functional unit sharing a complex mechanical, biochemical and hormonal crosstalk. A number of factors, including sex hormones, physiologically regulate the musculoskeletal system. Striking gender differences in muscle and bone mass, and function are mainly caused by distinct actions exerted by oestrogens and androgens. However, relaxin and relaxin-related peptides, such as insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3), might contribute to these sex-associated differences in physiological and pathological conditions (such as osteoporosis and sarcopenia). Relaxin is a 'pregnancy' hormone, but it is also produced from the prostate gland, and has recently attracted attention as a potential drug for cardiovascular disorders and fibrosis. In contrast, INSL3 is a male-specific hormone produced by the Leydig cells of the testis with a fundamental role in testicular descent during fetal life. Recent evidence suggests that both hormones have interesting roles in the musculoskeletal system. Relaxin and INSL3, by finely tuning bone formation and resorption, are involved in bone remodelling processes, and relaxin contributes to the healing of injured ligaments and promotes skeletal muscle regeneration. Here, we review the most recent findings on the effects of relaxin and INSL3 on skeletal muscle and the cell components of bone. In the light of the experimental evidence available and animal models, their clinical implications are also discussed.
This article is part of a themed section on Recent Progress in the Understanding of Relaxin Family Peptides and their Receptors. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.10/issuetoc.
骨骼肌和骨骼形成一个联合的功能单元，共享复杂的机械、生化和激素相互作用。包括性激素在内的多种因素对肌肉骨骼系统进行生理调节。肌肉和骨骼质量及功能上显著的性别差异主要由雌激素和雄激素的不同作用引起。然而，松弛素和松弛素相关肽，如胰岛素样肽3（INSL3），可能在生理和病理状况（如骨质疏松症和肌肉减少症）下导致这些与性别相关的差异。松弛素是一种“妊娠”激素，但也由前列腺分泌，最近作为治疗心血管疾病和纤维化的潜在药物受到关注。相比之下，INSL3是睾丸间质细胞产生的男性特异性激素，在胎儿期睾丸下降过程中起重要作用。最近的证据表明，这两种激素在肌肉骨骼系统中都有有趣的作用。松弛素和INSL3通过精细调节骨形成和骨吸收参与骨重塑过程，松弛素有助于受伤韧带的愈合并促进骨骼肌再生。在此，我们综述了关于松弛素和INSL3对骨骼肌及骨细胞成分影响的最新研究结果。根据现有实验证据和动物模型，还讨论了它们的临床意义。
本文是关于松弛素家族肽及其受体理解最新进展主题部分的一部分。要查看本部分的其他文章，请访问http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.10/issuetoc。
