Sequeira. Ivana R IR; Woodhead. Jonathan S T JST; Chan. Alex A; D'Souza. Randall F RF; Wan. Junxiang...
In people without diabetes, higher blood levels of the mitochondrial peptides MOTS‑c and SHLP2 are linked to signs of metabolic stress, especially extra belly (android) fat and liver fat. The more fat you have around the waist or in the liver, the higher these peptides appear, which may be the body's way of trying to protect itself.
Yu. Won Dong WD; Kim. Yu Jin YJ; Cho. Min Jeong MJ; Seok. Jin J; Kim. Gi Jin GJ; Lee. Chang-Han CH;...
A lab study found that adding the tiny protein MOTS‑c to old human placenta stem cells made the cells look healthier, turned on a key energy‑sensing pathway (AMPK), turned down a growth pathway (mTORC1), lowered their oxygen use and harmful reactive oxygen species, and reduced fat‑making activity. The treated cells behaved more like young cells.
Kang. Gil Myoung GM; Min. Se Hee SH; Lee. Chan Hee CH; Kim. Ji Ye JY; Lim. Hyo Sun HS; Choi. Min Jeo...
The study shows that a little bit of mitochondrial stress in a specific brain cell type (POMC neurons) can boost a tiny protein called MOTS‑c and β‑endorphin, which then makes the body burn more energy and stay lean. Too much stress does the opposite and leads to obesity. Regular moderate‑intensity running naturally raises MOTS‑c in the brain, triggering similar metabolic benefits.
Shen. Caijie C; Wang. Jian J; Feng. Mingjun M; Peng. Jianye J; Du. Xiangfeng X; Chu. Huimin H; Chen....
In a lab study using rat heart cells, the peptide MOTS‑c helped protect the cells from damage caused by oxidative stress and inflammation. Pretreating the cells with MOTS‑c (10‑50 µM for 24 hours) improved cell survival, lowered harmful reactive oxygen species, and reduced inflammatory signals by turning on the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and turning off the NF‑κB inflammation pathway.
MOTS‑c is a tiny peptide made by mitochondria that goes up when you exercise. Giving it as a drug or supplement can make you run or lift a bit better, help your muscles handle stress, and turn some white fat into heat‑burning tissue, which may aid weight loss.
Wu. Nan N; Shen. Caijie C; Wang. Jian J; Chen. Xiaomin X; Zhong. Peng P
In a mouse study, giving the mitochondrial peptide MOTS‑c for three months helped protect the hearts of animals with type‑1 diabetes, improving how well the heart pumped and reducing harmful changes and inflammation.
Domin. Remigiusz R; Pytka. Michał M; Żołyński. Mikołaj M; Nizińs...
The study found that people with higher levels of the naturally occurring peptide MOTS‑c in their blood tend to be stronger and generate more power in jumping tests, but this didn’t translate to better aerobic fitness measured by VO2 max. It’s an early look at how MOTS‑c relates to muscle performance in healthy adults who aren’t training regularly.
Yang. Long L; Li. Miaomiao M; Liu. Yucheng Y; Bai. Yang Y; Yin. Tianyu T; Chen. Yangyang Y; Jiang. J...
In mice with bone cancer, giving the mitochondrial peptide MOTS‑c lowered pain and protected bone, mainly by turning on AMPK and boosting mitochondrial health. The peptide also seemed safe for liver, kidneys, heart and fats, but the study was only in animals and focused on cancer‑related bone pain, not everyday aches.
Scientists found that a tiny protein called MOTS‑c, which comes from mitochondria, can protect lung blood vessels from damage caused by a bacterial signal (fMLP). It does this by stopping a type of cell death called ferroptosis and lowering inflammation, using the body’s Nrf2 and MAPK pathways. This suggests MOTS‑c might help keep lungs healthy, but the work was done in rats and cells, not people.
In rats, delivering the peptide MOTS‑c directly into the brain made them eat more but didn’t change their weight. It also lowered their blood thyroid hormones and raised proteins (UCP1, UCP3) that help burn energy in muscle and fat. The study shows MOTS‑c can directly affect metabolism, but the method used isn’t practical for people.
MOTS‑c, a tiny peptide made by mitochondria, helped protect disc‑stem cells from oxidative damage in lab dishes and in rats, mainly by turning on the AMPK‑SIRT1 pathway. The researchers also built a gel that slowly releases MOTS‑c, which improved cell survival and disc health in animals, but the work is still early‑stage and not yet ready for human use.
A study in mice found that the mitochondrial peptide MOTS‑c can lessen pain caused by inflammation, both in short‑term (like after a formalin injection) and long‑term models (like arthritis). It works by calming down inflammatory chemicals in the spinal cord and skin, and by quieting pain‑signaling nerves. However, the research is only in animals, so we don’t yet know if it works or is safe in people.
Zicarelli. Mariateresa M; Greco. Marta M; Roumeliotis. Stefanos S; Lo Vasco. Maria Elisa ME; Dragone...
In people on peritoneal dialysis, lower levels of the muscle‑helping peptide MOTS‑c in the blood and higher levels in the dialysis fluid were linked to a higher chance of muscle loss (sarcopenia). Blood MOTS‑c levels matched how well they performed on strength and movement tests, suggesting it could be a useful marker for muscle health in this group.
Researchers found that a tiny protein called MOTS‑c drops in people after heart surgery and that giving it to rats or lung cells reduces a type of cell death called ferroptosis, which helps protect the lungs. The benefit works through a pathway called PPARγ, but the study was done in animals and cells, not humans, and it doesn’t give dosing details.
Jiang. Jinhong J; Xu. Lingfei L; Yang. Long L; Liu. Su S; Wang. Zhe Z
In mice with nerve‑injury pain, the natural mitochondrial peptide MOTS‑c was low, and giving extra MOTS‑c reduced pain by activating AMPK, cutting down inflammation and oxidative damage in spinal neurons. The pain relief didn’t rely on opioids and had fewer side‑effects than morphine, but the experiments used direct spinal injections, not a practical route for people.
Bolignano. Davide D; Greco. Marta M; Presta. Pierangela P; Duni. Anila A; Zicarelli. Mariateresa M;...
In people on long‑term dialysis, a tiny protein called MOTS‑c is found at higher levels than in healthy folks, and those with the highest levels are more likely to die or have heart problems. Adding MOTS‑c measurements to the usual health checks makes the predictions a bit more accurate, but the improvement is modest.
Amado. Carlos A CA; Martín-Audera. Paula P; Agüero. Juan J; Lavín. Bernardo A BA; Gue...
People with stable COPD have less of the mitochondrial peptide MOTS‑c in their blood and more of another peptide called Romo1, which is linked to oxidative stress. Lower MOTS‑c levels were tied to drops in oxygen levels during activity and poorer performance on a 6‑minute walk test, while higher Romo1 levels were linked to current smoking and lower resting oxygen saturation.
Ozturk Öztürk. Dilara Altay DA; Erden. Yavuz Y; Tekin. Suat S
A study in rats found that delivering the mitochondrial peptide MOTS‑c directly into the brain raised the brain hormone that starts the reproductive cascade (GnRH) and boosted blood levels of testosterone, LH, and FSH. The boost was seen in both overweight and normal‑weight rats, but was stronger in the normal‑weight group, suggesting MOTS‑c can stimulate the male reproductive axis from the brain.
The study shows that the mitochondrial peptide MOTS‑c can help mouse muscle cells survive and turn into mature muscle fibers, but only in one type of cell (C2C12). It also changes how these cells handle fat, reducing fat storage in C2C12 cells while increasing it in another muscle cell line (L6). These effects were seen at very low (nanomolar) concentrations and involved quick activation of a signaling pathway (ERK).
Kids with type 1 diabetes have lower blood levels of the mitochondrial peptide MOTS‑c than healthy kids, but those levels don’t predict early kidney damage.