MOTS-c Levels and Sarcopenia Risk in Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Pilot Study.

Zicarelli M, Greco M, Roumeliotis S, Lo Vasco ME, Dragone F, Kourtidou C, Alekos I, Misiti R, Foti DP, Coppolino G, Liakopoulos V, Dounousi E, Bolignano D

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)12 Feb 2025Cited by 2 (Europe PMC)

PMID40005438PMCIDPMC11857303DOI10.3390/medicina61020322PepBankPUB-40005438

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Summary

Background and Objectives: Sarcopenia is exceedingly frequent in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients on dialysis, including those undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD), and is of multifactorial origin. MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide that promotes muscle growth whose levels are unbalanced in ESKD. In this study, we evaluated MOTS-c balance and its relationship with sarcopenia risk in an ESKD-PD cohort. Materials and Methods: MOTS-c was measured in serum, urine, and dialysate samples of 32 chronic PD patients. Patients were thus screened for sarcopenia risk by the SARC-F tool, anthropometric measurements, and physical performance tests. Results: PD patients with a very high sarcopenia risk (SARC-F ≥ 2) had significantly lower serum (sMOTS-c) and higher dialysate (dMOTS-c) levels, suggesting an increased peritoneal clearance of this substance (d/s MOTS-c). sMOTS-c levels were directly correlated with muscle performance in physical tests, while an opposite relationship was found with dMOTS-c and d/sMOTS-c. ROC analyses demonstrated the diagnostic potential of MOTS-c, particularly in combination with physical and anthropometric assessments, to identify PD patients at very high risk of sarcopenia. Conclusions: Chronic PD may negatively affect MOTS-c balance, which, in turn, may contribute to enhanced sarcopenia risk. Larger studies are needed to confirm these observations and to validate the potential utility of this substance as a biomarker for improving sarcopenia risk stratification in PD patients.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study5

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Natural levels measured5

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

01HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In peritoneal dialysis patients, those with very high sarcopenia risk (SARC-F 2 or more) had significantly lower serum MOTS‑c.
In plain wordsIn people on peritoneal dialysis, those at very high risk of muscle loss had lower levels of the body's own MOTS‑c in blood.
Peptide
MOTS-c
Outcome
DecreaseSerum MOTS-c by sarcopenia risk
Study
n = 32
Comparator
PD patients with lower sarcopenia risk
Outcome group
Muscle injury and repair · Musculoskeletal
Source sentences
Summary
PD patients with a very high sarcopenia risk (SARC-F ≥ 2) had significantly lower serum (sMOTS-c)
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
MOTS-c was measured in serum, urine, and dialysate samples of 32 chronic PD patients.
Summary · context
Patients were thus screened for sarcopenia risk by the SARC-F tool, anthropometric measurements, and physical performance tests.
This result measures the body's own MOTS-c. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4000543801
02HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
In peritoneal dialysis patients, those with very high sarcopenia risk had higher dialysate MOTS‑c, suggesting increased peritoneal clearance.
In plain wordsIn people on peritoneal dialysis, those at very high risk of muscle loss lost more of the body's own MOTS‑c into dialysate.
Peptide
MOTS-c
Outcome
IncreaseDialysate MOTS-c by sarcopenia risk
Study
n = 32
Comparator
PD patients with lower sarcopenia risk
Outcome group
Muscle injury and repair · Musculoskeletal
Source sentences
Summary
PD patients with a very high sarcopenia risk (SARC-F ≥ 2) had significantly lower serum (sMOTS-c) and higher dialysate (dMOTS-c) levels, suggesting an increased peritoneal clearance of this substance (d/s MOTS-c)
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
MOTS-c was measured in serum, urine, and dialysate samples of 32 chronic PD patients.
Summary · context
Patients were thus screened for sarcopenia risk by the SARC-F tool, anthropometric measurements, and physical performance tests.
This result measures the body's own MOTS-c. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4000543802
03HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
Serum MOTS‑c levels were directly correlated with muscle performance in physical tests.
In plain wordsIn people on peritoneal dialysis, higher levels of the body's own MOTS‑c in blood were linked to better muscle performance.
Peptide
MOTS-c
Outcome
Not applicableSerum MOTS-c correlation with muscle performance
Study
n = 32
Outcome group
Muscle injury and repair · Musculoskeletal
Source sentences
Summary
sMOTS-c levels were directly correlated with muscle performance in physical tests, while an opposite relationship was found with dMOTS-c and d/sMOTS-c.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
MOTS-c was measured in serum, urine, and dialysate samples of 32 chronic PD patients.
Summary · context
Patients were thus screened for sarcopenia risk by the SARC-F tool, anthropometric measurements, and physical performance tests.
This result measures the body's own MOTS-c. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4000543803
04HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
Dialysate MOTS‑c and the dialysate-to-serum ratio showed an opposite relationship with muscle performance than serum MOTS‑c.
In plain wordsIn people on peritoneal dialysis, more of the body's own MOTS‑c lost into dialysate was linked to worse muscle performance.
Peptide
MOTS-c
Outcome
Not applicableDialysate MOTS-c and d/s MOTS-c correlation with muscle performance
Study
n = 32
Outcome group
Muscle injury and repair · Musculoskeletal
Source sentences
Summary
while an opposite relationship was found with dMOTS-c and d/sMOTS-c.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
MOTS-c was measured in serum, urine, and dialysate samples of 32 chronic PD patients.
Summary · context
Patients were thus screened for sarcopenia risk by the SARC-F tool, anthropometric measurements, and physical performance tests.
This result measures the body's own MOTS-c. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4000543804
05HumanEndogenous levelObservational studyOther
ROC analyses showed diagnostic potential of MOTS‑c, particularly combined with physical and anthropometric assessments, to identify patients at very high sarcopenia risk.
In plain wordsIn people on peritoneal dialysis, the body's own MOTS‑c, together with physical tests, helped identify those at very high risk of muscle loss.
Peptide
MOTS-c
Outcome
Not applicableDiagnostic potential of MOTS-c for very high sarcopenia risk
Study
n = 32
Outcome group
Aging markers · Musculoskeletal
Source sentences
Summary
ROC analyses demonstrated the diagnostic potential of MOTS-c, particularly in combination with physical and anthropometric assessments, to identify PD patients at very high risk of sarcopenia.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
MOTS-c was measured in serum, urine, and dialysate samples of 32 chronic PD patients.
Summary · context
Patients were thus screened for sarcopenia risk by the SARC-F tool, anthropometric measurements, and physical performance tests.
This result measures the body's own MOTS-c. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-4000543805

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Version 2Current
10 Oct 2026, 08:19 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:47 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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