Myokines and interorgan crosstalk: bridging exercise to health promotion and disease prevention

Abstract

Exercise is known to promote physical health and reduce the risk of various diseases. During exercise, skeletal muscle actively contracts to perform movements and secretes hormone-like molecules termed myokines. The beneficial effects of exercise have been assessed with respect to myokine production, and those of irisin on bone, adipose tissue, and the brain have been well documented. Irisin, through its interactions with the integrin αV family, plays a crucial role in bone maintenance, metabolic regulation, and cognitive function. Building on the established understanding of irisin, this discussion will examine the functions and effects of other myokines as key secretory factors in exercise, emphasizing their broader roles in health promotion and the potential for new therapeutic strategies in disease prevention and treatment.

Keywords: Adipocyte; Bone; Brain; Exercise; Irisin; Muscle; Myokine.

Fig. 1.

Scheme of PGC-1α-mediated interorgan crosstalk between skeletal muscle and other organs during exercise. The activity of PGC-1α is not limited to skeletal muscle, but is also evident in other organs including the pancreas and fat. PGC-1α, peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor γ coactivator-1α; TFAM, mitochondrial transcription factor A; ERRs, estrogen-related receptors; FNDC5, fibronectin type III domain containing 5.

Fig. 2.

Secretion of skeletal-muscle-derived protein and metabolite hormones during different types of exercise induces systemic effects on many organs. IL-6, interleukin-6; FGF21, Fibroblast growth factor 21; BAIBA, β-aminoisobutyric acid; Metrnl, meteorin-like.