Research background · Updated November 1, 2026
MOTS-C Research: Publications, Study Types and Background
Short answer
MOTS-C is listed as mitochondrial-derived peptide of 16 amino acids. As of November 1, 2026, PubMed indexes 264 records matching MOTS-C, the earliest from 2015; 161 were published in 2021–2025 and 59 are reviews. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered studies matching the compound.
- PubMed records
- 264
- Earliest record
- 2015
- Published 2021–2025
- 161
- Reviews
- 59
- Animal-only studies
- 54
- Registered studies
- 8
Publications per year, 2006–2025
231 records in 2016–2025 against 4 in 2006–2015; the busiest year was 2025, with 47.
See the numbers
| Year | PubMed records |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2020 | 16 |
| 2021 | 35 |
| 2022 | 25 |
| 2023 | 36 |
| 2024 | 36 |
| 2025 | 47 |
Study types
| All PubMed records | 264 |
|---|---|
| Reviews | 5922% |
| Animal studies (no human subjects indexed) | 5420% |
| Indexed as clinical trials | 52% |
| Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov | 8 |
Categories overlap and follow PubMed’s own indexing; recent records may not be indexed yet.
Primary research directions
What 7 of the most-cited and most recent MOTS-C papers report, in their own authors’ terms. Each line links the paper it came from.
This review summarizes links between MOTS-c and AMPK-related energy metabolism, antioxidant and inflammatory responses and mitochondrial quality control, and concludes that MOTS-c is a plausible but insufficiently validated molecule in sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy research, with limited direct disease-specific evidence.
ReviewZhao Z 2026European journal of pharmacologyPMID 42633878
This review summarizes evidence that obesity, diabetes and aging are associated with lower circulating mitochondrial-derived peptides, including MOTS-c, and that treating rodents with these peptides can enhance insulin sensitivity; the authors note it remains to be determined whether this can be harnessed therapeutically.
ReviewMerry TL 2020American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolismPMID 32776825
This review describes MOTS-c as a peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA that has been shown to target skeletal muscle and enhance glucose metabolism, and discusses its proposed implications for research on obesity, diabetes, exercise and longevity.
ReviewLee C 2016Free radical biology & medicinePMID 27216708
In young, middle-aged and old mice, MOTS-c was reported to enhance physical performance and regulate skeletal muscle metabolism, and treatment initiated late in life increased physical capacity; in humans, exercise was observed to induce endogenous MOTS-c expression in muscle and circulation.
MiceReynolds JC 2021Nature communicationsPMID 33473109
In cultured cells under metabolic stress, MOTS-c was observed to translocate to the nucleus in an AMPK-dependent manner, regulate a broad range of genes in response to glucose restriction, and interact with stress-responsive transcription factors such as NRF2.
CellsKim KH 2018Cell metabolismPMID 29983246
In primary human fibroblasts made senescent in culture, levels of humanin and MOTS-c were elevated, and adding either peptide modestly increased mitochondrial respiration and selected components of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, partially via the JAK pathway.
CellsKim SJ 2018AgingPMID 29886458
This study identified MOTS-c, a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, acting mainly on skeletal muscle via folate cycle inhibition and AMPK activation; in mice, MOTS-c treatment prevented age-dependent and diet-induced insulin resistance and diet-induced obesity.
MiceLee C 2015Cell metabolismPMID 25738459
Most-studied topics
The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic, across 264 of the 264 records. They describe what the literature is about, not what MOTS-C does.
- Mitochondrial Proteins76 papers
- Mitochondria61 papers
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 215 papers
- Insulin Resistance14 papers
- Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins14 papers
- Muscle, Skeletal12 papers
- Cardiovascular Diseases10 papers
- NF-E2-Related Factor 29 papers
Key papers
Earliest indexed record
Santulli G (2015). Advances in experimental medicine and biology.
PMID 26662983Most-cited paper · 591 citations
Lee C (2015). Cell metabolism.
PMID 25738459Most-cited #2 · 260 citations
Kim KH (2018). Cell metabolism.
PMID 29983246Most-cited #3 · 176 citations
Reynolds JC (2021). Nature communications.
PMID 33473109
Citation counts from NIH iCite, among the 264 records sampled. Titles are left out; open each record on PubMed to read it.
Identity
| Synonyms and codes | Mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c |
|---|---|
| Description | Mitochondrial-derived peptide of 16 amino acids |
| CAS number | 1627580-64-6 |
| Molecular formula | C101H152N28O22S2 |
| Molecular weight | 2174.6 g/mol |
| Sequence | MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR (Met-Arg-Trp-Gln-Glu-Met-Gly-Tyr-Ile-Phe-Tyr-Pro-Arg-Lys-Leu-Arg) |
As published by Vanta Labs, with its sources, on the MOTS-C page.
How these numbers were counted
- PubMed search, run November 1, 2026:
"MOTS-c"[tiab] OR "MOTS c"[tiab]re-run it. Study types add PubMed’s own filters (review, clinical trial, animals not humans). - Topics: MeSH major-topic headings counted across up to 400 of the matching records; headings for study set-up (species, sex, age) are left out.
- Citations: NIH iCite citation counts for the same records.
- ClinicalTrials.gov search:
"MOTS-c"re-run it. Any phase, any status.
This page reports what has been published and what papers say they found, with each source linked. It gives no dosing or usage information, and nothing here is a reason to use MOTS-C outside a laboratory.
Wholesale supply
MOTS-C for research, documented lot by lot.
10mg vials. Every wholesale lot comes with its certificate of analysis, and your quote names the lot. Pricing on inquiry.
MOTS-C research questions
How much research has been published on MOTS-C?
PubMed indexes 264 records matching MOTS-C (searched November 1, 2026), including 59 reviews and 5 records indexed as clinical trials. 161 were published in the five years 2021–2025.
When was MOTS-C first described in the literature?
The earliest PubMed record matching MOTS-C is from 2015 (Santulli G, Advances in experimental medicine and biology, PMID 26662983).
What topics does the MOTS-C literature cover?
The subject headings PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic of MOTS-C papers are Mitochondrial Proteins, Mitochondria, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Insulin Resistance. These describe what the literature is about. Findings from individual papers, with their sources, are summarized on this page.
What is the regulatory status of MOTS-C?
MOTS-c is not listed as an approved drug in the FDA's Drugs@FDA database (searched 24 September 2026).
Is MOTS-C sold for human use?
No. Vanta Foundry supplies it for laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use, and not a drug, food, cosmetic or dietary supplement.
Where can I buy MOTS-C wholesale for research?
From the Vanta Foundry wholesale catalog: add it to your list, choose sizes and the number of vials, and send it on WhatsApp or by email. Every wholesale lot comes with a certificate of analysis.
Research materials supplied by Vanta Foundry are for laboratory research use only. They are not for human or veterinary use and are not drugs, foods, cosmetics or dietary supplements. Websites and payment processing are business services for research-supply brands.
All compounds: research peptide publication statistics.