Mots-C
Mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c, MT-RNR1, Mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c
MOTS-c modulates pancreatic islet function in rats and pigs in vitro.
Bień. Jakub J; Pruszynska-Oszmalek. Ewa E; Kolodziejski. Pawel P; Leciejewska. Natalia N; Szczepankiewicz. Dawid D; Grzęda. Emilia E; Sassek. Maciej M
Key Findings
- MOTS‑c treatment reduced insulin secretion from pancreatic islets.
- MOTS‑c treatment also reduced glucagon secretion.
- Cell viability of the islets improved after MOTS‑c exposure.
- The magnitude and direction of these effects differed between rat and pig islets.
- MOTS‑c release from the islets was influenced by the composition of the surrounding medium (fatty acids, hormones, glucose levels).
Practical Outcomes
- At this stage there is no clear dosing or protocol for humans, but the data suggest MOTS‑c can directly modulate pancreatic hormone output and support cell health. Biohackers should view this as early mechanistic evidence and wait for animal or human trials—especially in pig models—before trying any MOTS‑c supplementation for metabolic benefits.
Summary
A lab study looked at how the peptide MOTS‑c changes the behavior of isolated pancreatic islets from rats and pigs. It found that MOTS‑c lowers the amount of insulin and glucagon the cells release and makes the cells more viable, but the effects were not the same in the two species.
Abstract
MOTS-c is a promising regulator of metabolism and energy homeostasis. While its effects have been studied in cell lines, our team aimed to investigate its influence on more complex structures-specifically, isolated pancreatic islets. We used two animal models: the rat, which is commonly studied, and the pig, which shares greater physiological similarities with humans. This study assessed the expression and secretion of insulin and glucagon, the expression of their receptors, cell viability, and cell death following MOTS-c treatment of the islets. Additionally, we examined how MOTS-c secretion is affected by different incubation media, such as the presence of free fatty acids, pancreatic hormones, and different glucose concentrations. The results indicate that MOTS-c impacts pancreatic islet physiology by, for example, reducing insulin and glucagon secretion and enhancing cell viability. Notably, the effects differed between the two species, which may be attributed to anatomical differences in their pancreatic islets or structural variations in rat and pig MOTS-c. These facts may lead to the conclusion that if MOTS-c may be helpful in human medicine, the pig model should be considered another valuable choice.
Study Information
pubmed
2025
2025-06-06T00:00:00.000Z
10.1007/s00418-025-02391-4
21