Overview

• The joint KRIBB and Chonnam National University research team published findings on June 20 identifying CLCF1 as a key exercise-induced cytokine essential for muscle and bone health.
• Younger adults exhibited marked CLCF1 increases after a single workout, while older participants required more than 12 weeks of continuous exercise to raise their protein levels.
• Administering CLCF1 to aged mice restored muscle strength and bone density, whereas blocking the protein negated the benefits of exercise.
• Cellular analyses reveal that CLCF1 enhances mitochondrial function in muscle cells, inhibits bone-resorbing osteoclasts and promotes bone-forming osteoblasts.
• The discovery provides a mechanistic foundation for developing CLCF1-based treatments aimed at combating sarcopenia and osteoporosis in aging populations.