Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide MOTS-c Suppresses Ovarian Cancer Progression by Attenuating USP7-Mediated LARS1 Deubiquitination

While MOTS-c is best known for its metabolic benefits, emerging research is revealing that this mitochondrial-derived peptide may also have significant anti-cancer properties. This study by Yin, Li, Ma, and colleagues, published in Advanced Science, investigated MOTS-c's effects on ovarian cancer progression.

The researchers explored the molecular mechanisms by which MOTS-c influences cancer cell behavior, focusing on the USP7-LARS1 signaling axis. They used both cell-based assays and animal models to determine whether MOTS-c treatment could suppress tumor growth and, if so, through what specific pathway.

The results demonstrated that MOTS-c effectively suppressed ovarian cancer progression by attenuating USP7-mediated deubiquitination of LARS1. This disruption of the USP7-LARS1 axis impaired cancer cell proliferation and survival, leading to significant tumor suppression in preclinical models.

This discovery adds an important new dimension to MOTS-c's therapeutic profile. The finding that a metabolic peptide can also influence cancer biology through specific molecular mechanisms suggests that the benefits of MOTS-c supplementation may extend far beyond metabolic improvement. For patients and clinicians, this research highlights the increasingly broad potential of mitochondrial-derived peptides as multi-benefit therapeutic agents.