Mitochondria-Derived Peptide MOTS-c Restores Mitochondrial Respiration in the Type 2 Diabetic Heart

Plain-language summary

Using a high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin rat model of type 2 diabetes (T2D), this study found that MOTS-c treatment effectively delayed weight gain and was associated with restoration of mitochondrial respiratory function in cardiac tissue. The research is consistent with prior findings that circulating MOTS-c levels are lower in T2D individuals compared to healthy controls, suggesting a potential link between this mitochondrial-derived peptide and diabetic cardiomyopathy. Authors propose exogenous MOTS-c as a promising strategy for enhancing muscle and cardiac mitochondrial function in metabolic disorders.