Abstract
Growth differentiation factor (GDF-8) – myostatin, as part of an entire class of beta-transforming growth factors, is gaining attention for the pharmacological possibilities because of its inhibition. It is dominantly exprimated by skeletal muscle cells, limiting muscle growth and promoting protein breakdown.

Therefore, skeletal muscle cells are an important source of myostatin in the body, which has an important role in the homeostasis of muscles during development until adulthood. This review discusses some pathomechanisms of transcriptional and epigenetic regulations and their modulation by extracellular binding proteins. Therefore, myostatin is currently of research interest for its potential role in the pathogenesis of various disorders: cachexia, sarcopenia, insulin resistance, obesity, osteoporosis, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular diseases (Tab. 1, Ref. 34). Text in PDF www.lekarsky.herba.sk.
KEY WORDS: myostatin, follistatin, activins, muscle, pharmacotherapy.
Lek Obz 2024, 73 (5): 166-169

Andrej DUKÁT 1, Juraj PAYER 1, Ján KYSELOVIČ 1, Peter JACKULIAK 1, Marián BERNADIČ 2, Fedor ŠIMKO 2

1 V. interná klinika LF UK a UNB v Bratislave, prednosta prof. MUDr. J. Payer, PhD., MPH, FRCP, FEFIM
2 Ústav patologickej fyziológie LF UK v Bratislave, prednosta prof. MUDr. F. Šimko, PhD., FRCP