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Recent advances in the mechanism of insulin-like growth factor-1-mediated exercise-induced improvement of skeletal muscle atrophy

WANG Qian, HE Yi-Min, DONG Yu-Mo, WU Hua-Duo, ZHANG Yi, JIANG Ning^*

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine, Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, Tianjin University of Sport, Tianjin 301617, China

Abstract

Skeletal muscle atrophy is characterized by a reduction in both the size and quantity of skeletal muscle fibers, resulting in impaired muscle strength and function. It mainly includes disuse muscle atrophy, aging muscle atrophy, denervated muscle atrophy and muscle atrophy caused by disease etc. As a cost-effective way, exercise has been widely used in the prevention and treatment of skeletal muscle atrophy, but its mechanism for improving skeletal muscle atrophy remains unclear. Recent studies have indicated that insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) plays an important role in improving muscle atrophy through exercise, in addition to promoting the survival of neurons, lowering blood sugar, and anti-inflammation. This article reviews recent findings on the mechanisms by which IGF-1 mediates exercise-induced improvement in skeletal muscle atrophy, providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of this disease.

Key words: skeletal muscle atrophy; insulin-like growth factor-1; exercise; mechanism

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 姜宁　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2025.0085

Citing This Article：

WANG Qian, HE Yi-Min, DONG Yu-Mo, WU Hua-Duo, ZHANG Yi, JIANG Ning. Recent advances in the mechanism of insulin-like growth factor-1-mediated exercise-induced improvement of skeletal muscle atrophy. Acta Physiol Sin 2025; 77 (5): 969-978 (in Chinese with English abstract).