New discovery! The "switch" for androgen to regulate muscle function has been found, which is expected to improve the problem of muscle atrophy

Author: Huang Yanhong Duan Yuechu

Recently, a scientific research result by Sun Jinpeng's research team and Yi Fan's research team from the School of Basic Medicine of Shandong University, and research teams from the University of Leipzig in Germany, was published online in the international authoritative academic journal "Cell", revealing the mystery of how androgens affect skeletal muscle function and arousing widespread attention in the scientific community.

This study focuses on the mechanism of androgen's effect on skeletal muscle function. Androgens, especially dihydrotestosterone, as the main androgen in the human body, have effects far beyond our traditional understanding of the development of sexual organs and the formation of secondary sexual characteristics such as body hair. It is widely involved in the human body's energy metabolism, immune system regulation, brain function, and the occurrence and development of diseases such as tumors. However, how androgens work so quickly has long been a mystery that has puzzled scientists.

In this study, the research team discovered a key "switch" - the membrane receptor GPR133 on the cell membrane. Androgens can affect skeletal muscle function through GPR133, thereby increasing muscle contraction force. This discovery is of great significance, as it gives us a new understanding of the mechanism of action of androgens in muscles. Before this, although we knew that androgens have certain effects on muscles, such as promoting muscle growth, increasing muscle strength and improving athletic performance, the specific pathways of action and rapid regulation mechanisms were not clear. Today, the discovery of GPR133 has pointed us in the right direction. It is like a key that opens the mysterious door to the effects of androgens on skeletal muscle function.

In principle, androgens bind to GPR133, which activates a series of signal transduction pathways, ultimately affecting the physiological activities of muscle cells and enhancing muscle contraction. This process is like a sophisticated symphony performance, with each link working closely together and none of them can be missing. GPR133 plays a vital role as the "conductor" of this performance. If there is a problem with this "conductor", the entire signal transduction process may be disturbed, thus affecting the normal function of the muscles.

The research team also discovered through experiments that dihydrotestosterone has two different binding modes in the GPR133 receptor, one of which is more stable and effective. This discovery further deepens our understanding of the mechanism of action of dihydrotestosterone. Just like a key has different tooth marks, different tooth marks correspond to different ways of unlocking, and a more stable and effective binding mode is like the most matching tooth mark, which can open the "door lock" more smoothly and allow dihydrotestosterone to work better. This discovery provides important clues for scientists to further study the mechanism of action of dihydrotestosterone and lays the foundation for subsequent drug development.

Based on the above findings, the research team designed a small molecule compound AP503, which can specifically activate the GPR133 receptor. This innovative achievement provides a new idea for the development of safer androgen replacement drugs. In real life, many people are troubled by problems such as muscle atrophy and decreased athletic ability, such as the elderly, long-term bedridden patients, and some people with muscle diseases. Traditional androgen therapy may bring a series of side effects, such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. The emergence of AP503 gives us new hope. It can regulate muscle function by activating the GPR133 receptor, while avoiding some side effects of traditional androgen therapy, bringing good news to these patients.

The application prospects of this research result are very broad. In the medical field, it provides new targets and treatment strategies for diseases such as muscle atrophy and muscle weakness. By developing drugs based on AP503, doctors can treat these diseases more effectively and improve the quality of life of patients. In the field of sports science, it can help athletes better improve muscle strength and athletic performance while reducing the health risks caused by the use of traditional stimulants. In addition, for ordinary people, understanding the mechanism of androgen's effect on muscle function can also help us better exercise and maintain good health.

This research result by the scientific research team of Shandong University and Leipzig University in Germany is a major breakthrough in the field of life sciences. It not only reveals a new mechanism by which androgens affect skeletal muscle function, but also provides new ideas and methods for the future development of medical treatment and sports science.