The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance.

Studied

Discovery research identified MOTS-c, a mitochondrial peptide, and investigated its cellular actions and metabolic effects.

Who / model

Experiments included mice with aging-related or high-fat-diet-related insulin resistance. The abstract does not state sample sizes, comparators or treatment duration.

Studied dose & schedule

Dose and schedule have not yet been extracted for this summary.

Found

MOTS-c inhibited the folate cycle and linked purine synthesis, activating AMPK, a cellular energy-regulating pathway. Treatment prevented age-related and diet-induced insulin resistance and diet-induced obesity in mice. Skeletal muscle appeared to be a major target.

Limits

No author-stated limitations were available in the abstract. These cellular and mouse findings do not establish human weight-loss effectiveness or safety.

Read summary source ↗ · Prepared 9/22/2026 · AI-assisted, source-based summary