News Releases & Research Results Sex difference in the mechanism of skeletal muscle growth and regeneration - elucidation of functional significance of estrogen receptor β

The results of R&D conducted by Special Research Student Daiki Seko (also a graduate student of Nagasaki University) and Associate Professor Yusuke Ono of Department of Muscle Development and Regeneration, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Assistant Professor Ryo Fujita of University of Tsukuba, Assistant Professor Yuriko Kitajima of Nagasaki University, Professor Yuuki Imai of Ehime University, and others.

• The role of estrogen receptor β (ERβ), which is one of the receptors for estrogen and is also known as female hormone, was analyzed using mouse models lacking muscle-specific or muscle stem cell-specific ERβ gene.
• The results showed an abnormality in muscle growth and regeneration in female mice with impaired ERβ function, whereas such abnormality was not observed in male mice. This suggested that estrogen and its downstream signaling constitutes a female-specific mechanism for muscle growth and regeneration.
• The results of R&D may contribute to advancement in development of preventive medicine for various types of muscle weakness including age-related muscle atrophy (sarcopenia).

This project was conducted with the support of Research Center Network for Realization of Regenerative Medicine.

The results of R&D were published online in Stem Cell Reports, an official journal of International Society of Stem Cell Research, on August 21.

SekoD., et al. Estrogen receptor β controls muscle growth and regeneration in young female mice Stem Cell Reports
DOI：10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.07.017