Study record

MOTS-c: A promising mitochondrial-derived peptide for therapeutic exploitation

Zheng Y, Wei Z, Wang T · Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) · 2023

ReviewSeveralEvidence tier R
PubMed 36761202doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1120533Full text (PMC)Compare with another study

What this study reported

Reviewed the discovery and reported physiology of MOTS-c, a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in the mitochondrial 12S rRNA region, describing reported nuclear translocation under metabolic stress and reported declines in plasma levels with age. Summarised reported associations with skeletal muscle glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and aging, and noted that no established clinical application exists.

Limitations

Narrative review with no stated search strategy or risk-of-bias assessment; much of the cited evidence is preclinical and the review mixes mechanistic and translational claims without grading them.

Study record

Annotated fields for this study
Study modelReview
Substance studiedSeveralMore than one of these is central to the paper (common for reviews).
SpeciesNot reported
System studiedPublished literature on the discovery, physiology and proposed applications of MOTS-c
PopulationNot reported
DesignNarrative review
Sample size as reportedNot reported
Control groupNot reported
Route (data field only)Not reported
Endpoints measurednuclear translocation under metabolic stress; tissue and plasma expression with age; skeletal muscle glucose metabolism; reported disease associations
Pathways measuredAMPK signalling · Insulin & glucose handling · Nuclear translocation
Research areasMetabolic · Aging · Cardiovascular
Evidence tierR — Review (context, not evidence)
Publication typesJournal Article, Review, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Appraisal

Each dimension is recorded separately and never combined into a single score. A study can be well controlled and still tell you little about people.

Relevance to MOTS-c
Direct
Model applicability
n/a
Sample size
n/a
Controls
n/a
Outcome validity
n/a
Support for its own conclusion
Weak

Provenance

  • Bibliographic fields retrieved from PubMed E-utilities efetch (title, journal, date, authors, DOI) on 2026-11-11.
  • Annotated from the published abstract.
  • Editorial review: approved (2026-11-11).
  • Classification follows the site methodology; the record describes the study, not what MOTS-c does in people.