Global MyoG research 2004–2024: a bibliometric analysis of trends and translational implications

Myogenin (MyoG) is a core myogenic transcription factor that orchestrates myoblast differentiation and myofiber maturation and has been increasingly implicated in skeletal muscle degeneration and rhabdomyosarcoma, yet its global research landscape has not been systematically characterized. In this study, we performed a bibliometric analysis of MyoG-related publications from 2004 to 2024 retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. A total of 402 articles authored by 2,402 researchers from 1,148 institutions across 165 countries and regions were analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace and R-based bibliometric tools. We quantified annual publication output, identified leading countries, institutions, authors and journals, and reconstructed collaboration, co-citation and keyword co-occurrence networks to delineate thematic evolution. The global pattern showed a multipolar structure dominated by the United States and China, with European institutions forming an additional hub and emerging countries contributing with growing but comparatively lower impact. Research hotspots exhibited a clear progression from early work on molecular mechanisms (DNA binding, MyoD family interactions, chromatin remodelling) toward regenerative biology (satellite cell regulation, muscle regeneration) and, more recently, disease-oriented studies focused on muscle atrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and rhabdomyosarcoma. Landmark co-cited studies established MyoG as an indispensable regulator of skeletal muscle differentiation and highlighted its expanding relevance in pathological remodelling and therapeutic targeting. Future work is expected to concentrate on decoding MyoG-centred regulatory networks in degenerative muscle disease, integrating single-cell and spatial transcriptomics with functional genomics and multi-omics, and developing MyoG-based diagnostic and targeted therapeutic strategies. Despite the intrinsic limitations of single-database and citation-based approaches, this study provides a panoramic overview of two decades of MyoG research and offers a structured framework to guide future basic and translational investigations in muscle biology and oncology.