Last reviewed: · Reviewed by the mots-c.com Editorial Team
A curated, regularly updated list of the most important peer-reviewed MOTS-c research — from the 2015 discovery paper to recent work on exercise, aging, and metabolic disease. Each entry links directly to PubMed.
We weight studies along four axes before deciding whether to include them: (1) species and translatability — human > primate > rodent > cell line; (2) randomization and blinding; (3) effect size relative to control; and (4) replication by an independent group. The list below is curated, not exhaustive — we favor papers that have shaped how mitochondrial-derived peptides are understood, not every paper that mentions MOTS-c.
Lee et al. 2015; Du et al. 2017; Wu et al. 2021.
Reynolds et al. 2021; Yin et al. 2023.
Kim et al. 2018; Du et al. 2017.
Wu et al. 2021; Yin et al. 2023.
Yin X., Jing Y., Chen Q., et al.
Recent review focused on MOTS-c effects on skeletal muscle and adipose tissue.
View on PubMed →Reynolds J.C., Lai R.W., Woodhead J.S.T., et al.
MOTS-c administration restored physical performance in aged mice — strongest effects in the oldest animals.
View on PubMed →Wu Y., Sun L., Zhuang Z., et al.
Comprehensive review of MOTS-c mechanisms across metabolic diseases including NAFLD and type 2 diabetes.
View on PubMed →Kim S.J., Mehta H.H., Wan J., et al.
Establishes that circulating MOTS-c levels decline with age and correlate with insulin sensitivity in humans.
View on PubMed →Du C., Zhang C., Wu W., et al.
First human correlational data linking lower MOTS-c to insulin resistance.
View on PubMed →Lee C., Zeng J., Drew B.G., et al.
The original discovery paper. Identifies MOTS-c as a mitochondrially encoded peptide and shows it prevents obesity and insulin resistance in mice.
View on PubMed →When a notable new study is published, we summarize it in plain English and send it your way.