MOTS-c Pen
The 16-residue mitochondrial-derived peptide in bacteriostatic water at 10 mg/mL, 30 mg per 3 mL cartridge. Filled from a peptide lot tested in the manufacturer’s own laboratory, with a certificate.
| Compound | MOTS-c Mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA type-c |
|---|---|
| CAS number | 1627580-64-6 |
| Molecular formula | C101H152N28O22S2 |
| Theoretical mass | 2174.6 Da |
| Sequence / structure | H-MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR-OH (16 residues; free N- and C-termini) |
| Contents | MOTS-c: 30 mg per 3 mL pen (1% w/v) |
| Form | Sterile aqueous solution in bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol), supplied in a 3 mL glass cartridge inside a preloaded autoinjector pen fitted with a needle |
| Storage, sealed | Store at 2–8 °C in the original carton, protected from light |
| Format | Solution in a 3 mL pre-filled pen |
Sizes and lots
- 30 mg · 1 pen — $68.99
- 30 mg · Kit of 10 — $613.32
MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded in mitochondrial DNA, first reported in 2015 as a regulator of metabolism in cells and mice. This listing is a preloaded autoinjector pen holding a 3 mL glass cartridge of MOTS-c in bacteriostatic water at 10 mg/mL, 30 mg in total, so no powder needs reconstituting. The research on MOTS-c deals with the folate cycle, AMPK and nuclear gene regulation in cells, and with insulin resistance and exercise capacity in mice.
What is in the pen
The cartridge contains sterile MOTS-c solution at 1% w/v, which is 10 mg/mL and 30 mg over 3 mL, about 13.8 µmol of a 2174.6 Da peptide. The peptide is the same H-MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR-OH sold freeze-dried in the vials. It is dissolved in bacteriostatic water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol, which the safety data sheet lists as harmful if swallowed or inhaled, a serious eye irritant and a possible cause of allergic skin reactions; MOTS-c is not classified.
Refrigerate the pen at 2 to 8 °C in the original carton, protected from light, and cap it between uses. Never freeze it, and discard a pen if the solution has frozen or turned cloudy or discoloured. Peptide pen vs vial explains how the two formats differ in general.
What the research covers
MOTS-c was identified in 2015 as the product of a short open reading frame in the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene1. In cells it inhibited the folate cycle and the de novo purine synthesis linked to it, activating AMPK, and its main target organ appeared to be skeletal muscle1. In mice it prevented insulin resistance that came with age or a high-fat diet, and it prevented diet-induced obesity1. A 2018 study found that under metabolic stress MOTS-c entered the nucleus and, together with transcription factors including NRF2, regulated genes carrying antioxidant response elements2.
A pen holds the peptide in solution from the day it is filled, which raises separate questions. Reviews of protein formulation handle stability in aqueous solution and in the dried state as distinct problems, each with its own chemical and physical routes to degradation3. MOTS-c has two methionines that can oxidise, and none of the cited work measured how the peptide holds up in bacteriostatic water, so the storage limits on the safety data sheet are the ones to follow. The cell and mouse literature, and the human studies so far, are covered in the MOTS-c guide; the MOTS-c 10 mg vial holds the same peptide dry.
Frequently asked questions
How much MOTS-c is in the pen?
30 mg, at 10 mg/mL across the 3 mL cartridge, recorded on the safety data sheet as 1% w/v. From the theoretical mass of 2174.6 Da that is close to 14 µmol of peptide, or a concentration of about 4.6 mM.
How does the pen differ from the MOTS-c vials?
The vials hold freeze-dried peptide kept at −20 °C until it is reconstituted at a concentration of your choosing. The pen holds the same peptide already dissolved in bacteriostatic water at a fixed 10 mg/mL and is kept at 2 to 8 °C. The vial keeps the peptide dry until the day it is needed; the pen trades that for a ready solution.
References
- Lee C, Zeng J, Drew BG, et al. The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance. Cell Metab. 2015;21(3):443-54. DOI · PubMed
- Kim KH, Son JM, Benayoun BA, et al. The Mitochondrial-Encoded Peptide MOTS-c Translocates to the Nucleus to Regulate Nuclear Gene Expression in Response to Metabolic Stress. Cell Metab. 2018;28(3):516-524.e7. DOI · PubMed
- Manning MC, Chou DK, Murphy BM, et al. Stability of protein pharmaceuticals: an update. Pharm Res. 2010;27(4):544-75. DOI · PubMed
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary consumption. Products have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.