- Also known as
- MOTS-c · MOTSc · Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA type-c
- Class
- Mitochondrial-derived peptide
- Form
- Lyophilised powder in 10 mg and 40 mg vials
- Sizes
- 10 mg · 40 mg
- Storage, dry
- −20 °C, dry and dark
- Storage, mixed
- 2–8 °C, use within 28 days of mixing (as generally reported for reconstituted peptides)
- BAC water per size
- 10 mg: 2 mL · 40 mg: 3 mL
What is MOTS-C?
Chemically, MOTS-C is classed as mitochondrial-derived peptide. Published work on it is in rat, mouse and cell culture. The name covers the same material written several ways in the literature, including MOTS-c, MOTSc and Mitochondrial ORF of the 12S rRNA type-c. Its sequence is recorded as 16 residues, encoded within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene (MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR). People have received it in one study, none of them controlled, which means those results cannot separate the compound from everything else that changed. We hold it as lyophilised powder in 10 mg and 40 mg vials; it is research material and nothing else. It is not a medicine and is not for use in humans or animals.
What the research shows
| Study | Model | Dose used | Duration | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lin C et al.2024 · Gut · PMID 37788894 | Human observational cohort (85 healthy subjects, 404 HBV patients) plus HBV-infected mice and cells | Not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | MOTS-c levels correlated negatively with HBV DNA (R = −0.71). In mice and cells MOTS-c inhibited HBV replication by 50–70% with improved liver function and no notable toxicity, and promoted mitochondrial biogenesis and MAVS signalling. |
| Lee C et al.2015 · Cell Metab · PMID 25738459 | Mouse, high-fat diet and ageing models; cell work | Not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | The paper that named MOTS-c. Its primary target appeared to be skeletal muscle, where it inhibited the folate cycle and de novo purine biosynthesis and activated AMPK; MOTS-c treatment in mice prevented age-dependent and high-fat-diet-induced insulin resistance and diet-induced obesity. |
| Kim KH et al.2018 · Cell Metab · PMID 29983246 | Cell culture (metabolic stress models) | Not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | Under metabolic stress MOTS-c translocated to the nucleus in an AMPK-dependent manner and regulated a broad range of genes in response to glucose restriction, including antioxidant response element genes, and interacted with NRF2. |
| Li X et al.2025 · Redox Biol · PMID 40403491 | Rat, lung ischaemia-reperfusion injury model; human cardiopulmonary bypass patients (serum levels) | Not stated in the abstract | Serum measured within 24 h after bypass | Exogenous MOTS-c in rats reduced oxidative damage, inflammation, lung injury and mortality. In patients, the rise in serum MOTS-c within 24 h of bypass predicted ARDS (multivariate model AUC 0.885). |
| Yin Y et al.2024 · Adv Sci (Weinh) · PMID 39321430 | Ovarian cancer cell lines and mouse xenograft; patient serum and tumour tissue | Not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | MOTS-c levels were lower in serum and tumour tissue from ovarian cancer patients. Exogenous MOTS-c inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion and showed an anti-tumour effect in vivo without systemic toxicity, by promoting LARS1 degradation. |
| Li K et al.2025 · Free Radic Biol Med · PMID 41043625 | Chondrocytes (LPS-induced) and mouse osteoarthritis model | Not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | MOTS-c improved mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced chondrocyte pyroptosis via the Nrf2/TXNIP/NLRP3 axis, and on imaging and histology delayed cartilage degeneration in the mouse model. |
| Wu J et al.2023 · Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) · PMID 36786072 | LPS-induced septic cardiomyopathy model (species not stated in the abstract) | Not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | MOTS-c reduced inflammatory cytokine mRNA in cardiomyocytes, lowered circulating CK-MB and TnT, and reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis; the AMPK inhibitor compound C abolished these effects. |
What these studies don't show: The human work here is uncontrolled: pilot studies, case reports and retrospective reviews. With nothing to compare against, cause cannot be separated from coincidence. Small numbers and brief follow-up leave long-term safety untouched. Purity data confirms what is in the vial and says nothing about whether a compound works.
Every study links to its PubMed record. See all MOTS-C studies in the research library →
MOTS-C price in Canada: 10mg and 40mg vials
Buy MOTS-C in Canada in 2 vial sizes and a starter kit. Prices are in Canadian dollars, you pay by Interac e-Transfer or bank transfer, and orders are shipped from Canadian stock.
| Size | Price | Per mg |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mg | $42.00 | $4.20/mg |
| 40 mg | $70.50 | $1.76/mg |
Starter kit
Is MOTS-C available in Canada?
Canada has no authorized MOTS-C product: no DIN has been issued for it. Nothing about its safety, efficacy or quality has been reviewed by a regulator here. It is stocked here as laboratory research material and for no use in a person or an animal. How Health Canada treats research peptides →
Side effects reported in studies
Absence of a reported effect in a small study is not evidence of safety. Each statement is tied to the study that reported it. None of the cited abstracts states a tolerability finding for MOTS-C. Read more →
Doses used in studies
MOTS-C FAQ
What is MOTS-C?
Chemically, MOTS-C is classed as mitochondrial-derived peptide. The published work on it is in rat, mouse and cell culture. Borealis Peptides supplies it as lyophilised powder in 10 mg and 40 mg vials for in-vitro laboratory research. It is not authorized as a medicine and is not for use in any living subject. The table on this page gives each study, its model and its reported result.
Where can I buy MOTS-C in Canada?
Borealis Peptides ships MOTS-C from Canadian stock to research and business addresses in Canada. It is held in 10 mg and 40 mg vials. Every batch is tested by HPLC and the certificate names the batch in your vial. Orders are accepted for laboratory research only.
Is MOTS-C legal in Canada?
Canada has no authorized MOTS-C product: no DIN has been issued for it. Nothing about its safety, efficacy or quality has been reviewed by a regulator here. It is stocked here as laboratory research material and for no use in a person or an animal. Health Canada has said that "Research Use Only" labelling does not make a product legal to use in a person, so we treat it as a description of what the material is supplied for rather than a permission.
How much MOTS-C should I use?
We do not answer dosing questions. MOTS-C is not supplied for use in a person or an animal, so there is no dose to describe. What this page carries is the amount each cited study used and the model it used it in, reproduced as the authors published it.
What human evidence is there for MOTS-C?
There is human work, but none of it is controlled. One study involved people, as pilots, case reports or retrospective reviews. Without a control group these cannot show that the compound caused what was observed, and the page says so beside the table.
How is MOTS-C stored?
Unopened, keep it at −20 °C in the dark. Solutions are held at 2–8 °C. It travels at room temperature as a dry powder and goes cold on arrival. Light and repeated warming do more damage than the journey. Every batch is tested by HPLC and the certificate names the batch in your vial.
How is the purity of MOTS-C confirmed?
Identity and purity are confirmed by HPLC for each batch, not once per product. The certificate names the batch it belongs to, and that batch number is on the vial, so a result can be traced back to the exact material that produced it. Ask with your order number and we send it.
How does MOTS-C compare with SS-31 and NAD+?
They are different compounds with different published records, and this site does not rank them. SS-31 and NAD+ have 7 cited studies and 8 cited studies on their page against 7 here. The useful comparison is between the two study tables and the models behind them.
Compare with
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