Contraction-Induced Myokine Production and Release: Is Skeletal Muscle an Endocrine Organ?
Abstract
In Brief The concentration of plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) increases during physical exercise, but until recently the cellular origin of this increase has been unknown. Recent work has identified that skeletal muscle is a major source of this increase and the release of IL-6 from muscle can mediate metabolic processes. IL-6 is, therefore, the first identified “myokine” released from muscle that can now be termed an endocrine organ. Interleukin-6 is released from skeletal muscle to mediate metabolic processes. This suggests the skeletal muscle can now be viewed as an endocrine organ.
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Myokines are an important local agent, having effects on metabolism, angiogenesis and muscle growth, as well as being capable of systemically acting on other organs and systems.
“Myokines are an important local agent, having effects on metabolism, angiogenesis and muscle growth, as well as being capable of systemically acting on other organs and systems (Febbraio and Pedersen, 2005).”
From Physical Exercise-Induced Myokines and Muscle-Adipose Tissue Crosstalk: A Review of Current Knowledge and the Implications for Health and Metabolic Diseases (2018) · cites this paper as Febbraio and Pedersen, 2005
Skeletal muscle produces and releases cytokines, also called myokines.
“skeletal muscle has recently been identified as an endocrine organ, which produces and releases cytokines (also called myokines) [18, 19].”
From Exercise as a Mean to Control Low‐Grade Systemic Inflammation (2008) · cites this paper as [19]
IL-6 is produced and released by contracting skeletal muscle fibres and exerts effects in other organs of the body.
“Recently, IL-6 was introduced as the first myokine, defined as a cytokine, which is produced and released by contracting skeletal muscle fibres, exerting its effects in other organs of the body.”
From Exercise as a Mean to Control Low‐Grade Systemic Inflammation (2008) · cites this paper as [19]
Skeletal muscle is an endocrine organ.
“We suggest that skeletal muscle is an endocrine organ and that myokines may be involved in mediating the beneficial effects against CNCDs associated with low-grade inflammation.”
From Exercise as a Mean to Control Low‐Grade Systemic Inflammation (2008) · cites this paper as [19]
Both TNF-α and IL-6 induce lipolysis, but only IL-6 appears to induce fat oxidation.
“Of note, whereas it is known that both TNF-α and IL-6 induce lipolysis [40, 49], only IL-6 appears to induce fat oxidation [19, 59].”
From Exercise as a Mean to Control Low‐Grade Systemic Inflammation (2008) · cites this paper as [19]
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- Authors
- Febbraio, M. A., & Pedersen, B. K.
- Affiliations
- RMIT University (AU)
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- Corresponding author
- Febbraio, Mark A.
- Venue
- Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews
- Published
- 2005-07
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 114-119
- ISSN
- 0091-6331 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2007571167
- Cited by
- 402
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 16.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RMIT Research Repository (RMIT University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Keywords
- myokines, interleukin-6, skeletal muscle, muscle contraction, physical activity, metabolic regulation, cytokine production
- MeSH terms
- Endocrine System, Humans, Muscle Contraction, Interleukin-6, Cytokines, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscle Cells
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