Study record
Humanin and MOTS-c Attenuate Atrial Fibrillation by Suppressing Fibrosis and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Liao Y, Xu J, Jiao Y et al. · Biomedicines · 2026
What this study reported
Measured lower humanin and MOTS-c in human atrial tissue in atrial fibrillation, with levels inversely correlated with fibrosis extent, and lower plasma MOTS-c in patients that was inversely correlated with NT-proBNP. Reported that in angiotensin II-exposed mice, administered MOTS-c or a humanin analogue was associated with lower atrial fibrillation inducibility, less fibrosis and hypertrophy and improved mitochondrial ultrastructure, and that both peptides reduced angiotensin II-induced fibroblast activation in culture.
Limitations
Small matched human cohort with cross-sectional sampling; male mice only; RNA-seq findings described as exploratory and not validated.
Study record
| Study model | Animal study (in vivo) |
|---|---|
| Substance studied | SeveralMore than one of these is central to the paper (common for reviews). |
| Species | human, mouse, rat |
| System studied | Human atrial tissue and plasma in atrial fibrillation; angiotensin II mouse atrial fibrillation model; primary rat cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts |
| Population | patients with atrial fibrillation and matched sinus rhythm controls |
| Design | Case-control measurement with controlled animal and cell experiments |
| Sample size as reported | 39 patients with atrial fibrillation and 39 sinus rhythm controls; 36 male mice |
| Control group | sinus rhythm controls; vehicle-treated angiotensin II animals and cells |
| Route (data field only) | Not reported |
| Endpoints measured | atrial humanin and MOTS-c expression; plasma MOTS-c; atrial fibrillation inducibility; atrial fibrosis and hypertrophy; mitochondrial ultrastructure and fission proteins; pro-inflammatory cytokines |
| Pathways measured | TGF-β / SMAD · Inflammation · Oxidative stress · Other |
| Research areas | Cardiovascular · Mitochondrial biology · Inflammation & immunity |
| 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
- Human
- Sample size
- Small
- 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.