MOTS-c Peptide Protects Lungs from Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a severe complication occurring during lung transplantation or major thoracic surgeries, leading to significant tissue damage and organ dysfunction. Current protective strategies, such as remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC), involve brief, controlled periods of blood flow restriction to a distant organ to protect the target organ, but they are technically challenging and not always feasible. This study addresses the critical need for pharmacological agents that can mimic the protective effects of RIPC to mitigate LIRI.

The study found that MOTS-c treatment significantly attenuated lung ischemia-reperfusion injury, reducing lung injury scores by 45% compared to the untreated LIRI group (p<0.001). This protective effect was comparable to, and in some aspects superior to, remote ischemic preconditioning. MOTS-c effectively alleviated endothelial barrier dysfunction, evidenced by a 60% decrease in vascular permeability and a 2.3-fold increase in the expression of tight junction proteins like ZO-1 and occludin (p<0.01). Furthermore, inflammatory markers such as TNF-α and IL-6 were reduced by 30-40% in the MOTS-c group, and oxidative stress, measured by MDA levels, decreased by 35% (p<0.05).