Sclerostin (SOST) is a specific osteocyte protein. During the differentiation and proliferation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, the high expression of SOST can inhibit bone formation and contribute to osteoporosis and the bone metastasis of malignant tumors. Most of the research on SOST has focused on bone cells, but studies have found that SOST is not a specific product of bone cells but that it is also expressed by articular chondrocytes. SOST can regulate the progression of osteoarthritis in bone and cartilage, promote subchondral bone sclerosis, and inhibit cartilage degeneration. A review of the literature found that SOST can not only regulate bone metabolism, but it is also expressed in cardiovascular, kidney, liver, and other tissues, influencing the occurrence and development of diseases in these organs and tissues. Studies have found that diseases of extra-bone organs, such as atherosclerosis, aneurysm, chronic kidney disease, and cirrhosis, may be related to the expression of SOST. Simultaneously, long-term exercise can reduce SOST levels, especially in areas of high bone strain. Prolonged exercise induces bone adaptation to mechanical stress, resulting in diminished responsiveness of bone cells to exercise and a reduction in serum SOST levels. Short-term acute exercise can elevate serum SOST levels, but these results are often limited by age, gender, and energy status. In general, serum SOST rises immediately after short-term acute exercise, returning to baseline or even decreasing after exercise.
Keywords: SOST; exercise; extra-skeletal organs; mechanical stimulation; osteoporosis.