Study record
The mitochondrial genome-encoded peptide MOTS-c interacts with Bcl-2 to alleviate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis progression
Lu H, Fan L, Zhang W et al. · Cell Rep · 2024
AnimalMOTS-c administeredEvidence tier CAlso: Cell study (in vitro)
What this study reported
Reported that administered MOTS-c was associated with less liver steatosis, apoptosis, inflammation and fibrosis in mice fed a NASH-inducing diet, and with reversal of diet-induced mitochondrial metabolic deficits. Identified binding of MOTS-c to the BH3 domain of Bcl-2, with the observed effects lost when Bcl-2 was inhibited or knocked down.
Limitations
Diet-induced mouse model only, with group sizes, sex and blinding not reported; the mechanism rests on a single interacting partner and on AAV knockdown without independent confirmation.
Study record
| Study model | Animal study (in vivo) |
|---|---|
| Substance studied | MOTS-c administeredSynthetic MOTS-c was given to cells, animals or people. |
| Species | mouse |
| System studied | Mice fed a NASH-inducing diet, with Bcl-2 inhibition and AAV-mediated Bcl-2 knockdown |
| Population | Not reported |
| Design | Controlled animal experiment with cell and molecular assays |
| Sample size as reported | Not reported |
| Control group | NASH-diet mice not given MOTS-c |
| Route (data field only) | Not reported |
| Endpoints measured | liver steatosis; hepatocyte apoptosis; hepatic inflammation; fibrosis; mitochondrial oxidative capacity and metabolites; Bcl-2 stability and ubiquitination |
| Pathways measured | Apoptosis · Inflammation · Lipid metabolism |
| Research areas | Liver · Metabolic · Mitochondrial biology |
| Evidence tier | C — Animal in vivo |
| Publication types | Journal Article, 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
- Mammalian
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Controls
- Appropriate
- Outcome validity
- Surrogate
- Support for its own conclusion
- Moderate
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.