Study record
MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-encoded interferon-linked host defense peptide
Rice MC, Imun M, Jung SW et al. · Elife · 2026
What this study reported
Reported that MOTS-c is an amphipathic, cationic mitochondrially encoded peptide with direct antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, in part by targeting bacterial membranes, and that it neutralised MRSA infectivity in a mouse peritonitis model. Reported that interferon gamma, lipopolysaccharide and differentiation signals induced endogenous MOTS-c in human monocytes and that exogenous MOTS-c reprogrammed mouse monocytes into macrophages with antigen-presentation and interferon signatures and enhanced bacterial clearance.
Limitations
Group sizes not reported in the abstract; acute single-organism infection model; in vitro peptide exposure is supraphysiological relative to measured circulating levels.
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, human |
| System studied | Mouse model of acute MRSA peritonitis; human monocytes and primary mouse monocyte differentiation; bacterial membrane assays |
| Population | Not reported |
| Design | Controlled animal experiment with cell culture and microbiological assays |
| Sample size as reported | not reported |
| Control group | untreated infected mice and unstimulated monocytes |
| Route (data field only) | Not reported |
| Endpoints measured | bacterial killing of E. coli and MRSA; bacterial membrane targeting; survival of MRSA infection in mice; endogenous MOTS-c expression after IFN-gamma, LPS and differentiation signals; macrophage transcriptomic signatures and bacterial clearance |
| Pathways measured | Inflammation · Other |
| Research areas | 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
- 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.