# Humanin

> A 24-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide with cytoprotective, anti-apoptotic activity — a companion to MOTS-c on the mitochondrial-signaling frontier.

- Also known as: HN, MT-RNR2 peptide
- Class: Mitochondrial, Longevity
- FDA approved: No
- Canonical page: https://americanpeptide.com/catalog/humanin

## Overview

Humanin was the first mitochondrial-derived peptide discovered — a 24-amino-acid peptide encoded not in the nuclear genome but within the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene. It is cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic: it was originally identified for protecting neurons against Alzheimer’s-related toxicity, and it has since been tied to metabolic regulation and longevity, with higher levels associated with healthy aging.

Humanin rewrote a small piece of the rulebook when it was found in 2001: a bioactive peptide encoded inside the mitochondrial genome, in the 16S ribosomal RNA region, rather than by nuclear DNA. It was discovered in the search for factors that protect neurons in Alzheimer’s disease — hence the name — and it turned out to be a broadly cytoprotective, anti-apoptotic signal that helps cells survive stress.

It is now recognized as the founding member of the mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs), the same family as MOTS-c catalogued just above, and part of the larger idea that mitochondria actively signal to the rest of the body. Beyond neuroprotection, humanin has been linked to insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular protection, and longevity — circulating levels decline with age and tend to be higher in long-lived individuals. It is a research compound and is not FDA-approved.

## Mechanism

Cytoprotective, anti-apoptotic signaling — binds and antagonizes the pro-apoptotic protein BAX and signals through a cell-surface receptor complex (CNTFR / WSX-1 / gp130); also interacts with IGFBP-3.

## Chemistry

| Property | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Molecular formula | C119H204N34O32S2 |
| Molecular weight | 2687.2 Da |
| CAS number | 330936-69-1 |
| PubChem CID | [16131438](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/16131438) |

## Sequence

```
MAPRGFSCLLLLTSEIDLPVKRRA
```

## Research areas

Studied in: Aging biology, Neuroprotection, Metabolic regulation, Cytoprotection.

Guides on this site:

- [Weight Loss & Metabolic Health](https://americanpeptide.com/research-areas/weight-loss): Incretin and metabolic peptides studied for glycemic control and fat loss.
- [Cognition & Neuroprotection](https://americanpeptide.com/research-areas/cognition-neuroprotection): Nootropic and neurotrophic peptides studied for cognition and recovery.
- [Longevity & Aging](https://americanpeptide.com/research-areas/longevity-aging): Peptides studied across the aging axis — senescence, NAD+, and resilience.

## Key research

- First mitochondrial-derived peptide — encoded within the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene (MT-RNR2); discovered in 2001 in Alzheimer’s research.
- Cytoprotective / anti-apoptotic — antagonizes the pro-apoptotic protein BAX and signals via a CNTFR / WSX-1 / gp130 receptor complex.
- Longevity association — circulating levels decline with age and are higher in some long-lived individuals; studied in aging biology.
- Metabolic effects — linked to improved insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular protection in preclinical work.
- Companion to MOTS-c — both are mitochondrial-derived signaling peptides; not FDA-approved.

## Storage, handling & synthesis

**Synthesis.** Humanin is a 24-residue mitochondrial-derived peptide with a hydrophobic, aggregation-prone core and both a methionine and a cysteine that are oxidation-sensitive. It is made by solid-phase synthesis, where the length, the difficult hydrophobic stretch, and protecting Met / Cys from oxidation make clean assembly and purification the demanding part.

## FAQs

### What is Humanin?

Humanin is a 24-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide with cytoprotective, anti-apoptotic activity, first discovered for protecting neurons in Alzheimer’s research.

### What does "mitochondrial-derived" mean?

Unlike most peptides, humanin is encoded within the mitochondrial genome (the 16S rRNA region), not by nuclear DNA — it was the first such peptide identified.

### How does it relate to MOTS-c?

Both are mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs). Humanin is the cytoprotective, anti-apoptotic member; MOTS-c is studied more for metabolism and AMPK activation.

### Is Humanin approved?

No — it is a research compound, not FDA-approved. This page is a research and educational reference.

## Latest research

Recent trials and publications mentioning Humanin, pulled automatically from ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed (unfiltered search results, refreshed daily).

### Recent trials

- [Comparison of the Effects of General Anesthesia and Combined Spinal-Epidural Anesthesia on Ferroptosis, Humanin and MOTS-c Levels in Renal Transplantation](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07678073) — RECRUITING · NA · NCT07678073
- [Analysis of Effects of High-intensity Physical Exercise in Subjects With Dialyzed Chronic Kidney Disease and in Conservative Treatment](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07438002) — RECRUITING · NA · NCT07438002
- [Humanin's Value for Early Diagnosis and Short-term Prognosis in Patients With AKI After Heart Transplantation](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06125249) — UNKNOWN · NCT06125249
- [Clinical Value of Plasma Humanin in Acute Kidney Injury](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06105229) — UNKNOWN · NCT06105229
- [How Are the Muscles Affected in Cerebral Palsy? A Study of Muscle Biopsies Taken During Orthopaedic Surgery.](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05506228) — RECRUITING · NCT05506228
- [Humanin Isoforms in Cardiac Muscle and Blood Plasma and Major Complications After Cardiac Operation](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03431844) — COMPLETED · NCT03431844

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Source: AmericanPeptide.com — https://americanpeptide.com/catalog/humanin
Data license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Attribution: AmericanPeptide.com.
Research reference only — computational and educational content, not medical advice.