HyperBone - Metabolic crosstalk between muscle, bone, and bone marrow adipocytes

Skeletal muscle and bone are co-regulated by myokines and osteokines and there is evidence that muscles affect bone metabolism. For example, immobilization or glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy is associated with a loss of bone mass and strength, whereas testosterone induces muscle hypertrophy increases bone mass. In contrast, fat content in the bone marrow is often increased in conditions of muscle and bone loss and reduced in muscle hypertrophy. Most research has focused on identifying regulators of inter-organ crosstalk by endocrine and paracrine factors, such as myokines, osteokines or adipokines. However, the metabolite exchange and flux within and between muscle, bone, and bone marrow adipocytes is hardly investigated at all. In this project, we will use advanced methods of metabolic research to study metabolic links between muscle, bone, and bone marrow fat. The central hypothesis of this project is that a metabolic crosstalk exists between muscle and bone and that the large bioenergetic need of the musculoskeletal system affects systemic metabolism.