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Review
. 2016 Sep;2(3):140-155.
doi: 10.1016/j.afos.2016.06.002. Epub 2016 Jul 21.

The role of sex steroid hormones in the pathophysiology and treatment of sarcopenia

Yong Jin Kim  1 , Amin Tamadon  2 , Hyun Tae Park  3 , Hoon Kim  2 , Seung-Yup Ku  2
Affiliations
Review

The role of sex steroid hormones in the pathophysiology and treatment of sarcopenia

Yong Jin Kim et al. Osteoporos Sarcopenia. 2016 Sep.

Abstract

Sex steroids influence the maintenance and growth of muscles. Decline in androgens, estrogens and progesterone by aging leads to the loss of muscular function and mass, sarcopenia. These steroid hormones can interact with different signaling pathways through their receptors. To date, sex steroid hormone receptors and their exact roles are not completely defined in skeletal and smooth muscles. Although numerous studies focused on the effects of sex steroid hormones on different types of cells, still many unexplained molecular mechanisms in both skeletal and smooth muscle cells remain to be investigated. In this paper, many different molecular mechanisms that are activated or inhibited by sex steroids and those that influence the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of skeletal and smooth muscle cells are reviewed. Also, the similarities of cellular and molecular pathways of androgens, estrogens and progesterone in both skeletal and smooth muscle cells are highlighted. The reviewed signaling pathways and participating molecules can be targeted in the future development of novel therapeutics.

Keywords: Androgen; Estrogen; Progesterone; Sarcopenia; Skeletal muscle; Smooth muscle.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic diagram of (A) androgen and (B) estrogen effects on AKT/mTOR and FoxO signaling in skeletal muscle cells. Abbreviations: Akt, serine/threonine-specific protein kinase; AMPK, 5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase FoxO, Forkhead box O; GSK3β, glycogen synthase kinase 3β; IGF-I, insulin growth factor-I; MHC, myosin heavy chain; mTOR, mechanistic target of rapamycin; T2, testosterone.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Schematic diagram of androgen effects on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in skeletal muscle cells. Abbreviations: ERK1/2, extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1/2; MAPK1/3, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1/3; MEF2, myocyte enhancer factor-2; MRF4, myogenic regulating factor 4; SWI/SNF, SWItch/sucrose non-fermentable.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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