Study record
MOTS-c Protects Against Acetaminophen-induced Liver Injury through the MAPK Signaling Pathway
Li N, Xu Y, Chen Q et al. · Protein Pept Lett · 2026
What this study reported
Measured lower plasma and liver MOTS-c in mice with acetaminophen-induced liver injury, and reported that administered MOTS-c was associated with lower ALT and AST, less histological damage, lower pro-inflammatory cytokines and macrophage infiltration, restored glutathione and reduced reactive oxygen species. Reported that MOTS-c lowered ERK, JNK and p38 phosphorylation and that MAPK inhibitors abolished its effect on transaminases in these mice.
Limitations
Male mice only, with group sizes not reported in the abstract; a single acute toxic liver injury model; no female or chronic injury comparison.
Study record
| Study model | Animal study (in vivo) |
|---|---|
| Substance studied | SeveralMore than one of these is central to the paper (common for reviews). |
| Species | mouse |
| System studied | Male C57BL/6 mice with acetaminophen-induced liver injury |
| Population | Not reported |
| Design | Controlled animal experiment |
| Sample size as reported | not reported |
| Control group | vehicle-treated acetaminophen-exposed and untreated mice |
| Route (data field only) | intraperitoneal |
| Endpoints measured | plasma and hepatic MOTS-c levels; serum ALT and AST; liver histopathology; pro-inflammatory cytokines and macrophage infiltration; glutathione and reactive oxygen species; MAPK phosphorylation (ERK, JNK, p38) |
| Pathways measured | MAPK signalling · Oxidative stress · Inflammation · Apoptosis |
| Research areas | Liver · Inflammation & immunity · Mitochondrial biology |
| Evidence tier | C — Animal in vivo |
| Publication types | Journal Article |
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
- Validated biomarker
- 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.