5-Amino-1MQ

5-Amino-1MQ is not a peptide; it is a small-molecule quaternary quinolinium compound that inhibits the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). It has been studied in cell and rodent models of obesity and metabolism.

Last reviewed 2026-10-25 by the PeptideWiki editorial team. Editorial policy.

Overview

5-Amino-1MQ is not a peptide. It is a small synthetic molecule, a methylquinolinium compound, developed as an inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). It is included on PeptideWiki because it is often discussed alongside research peptides in metabolic research. NNMT is an enzyme expressed highly in liver and adipose tissue that transfers a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine to nicotinamide, producing 1-methylnicotinamide.

Interest in NNMT grew after studies in mice linked its expression in fat tissue to obesity and insulin resistance, and showed that reducing NNMT protected against diet-induced weight gain. Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch developed a series of quinolinium-based NNMT inhibitors, including 5-amino-1MQ, and tested them in cell culture and diet-induced obese mice. The evidence is preclinical; no controlled human trials have been published, and it is not approved by the FDA for any use.

Structure

5-Amino-1MQ is a small organic molecule, not a peptide, and contains no amino acids. It consists of a quinoline ring system with a methyl group on the ring nitrogen, making it a permanently positively charged quaternary quinolinium cation, and an amino group at the 5-position. Because it is a cation, it is supplied as a salt with a counter-ion, and the counter-ion should be stated on documentation. Its structure resembles the NNMT product 1-methylnicotinamide, which relates to how it interacts with the enzyme.

Mechanism

5-Amino-1MQ inhibits NNMT. NNMT consumes S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and nicotinamide to produce 1-methylnicotinamide and S-adenosylhomocysteine. Inhibiting NNMT is proposed to preserve nicotinamide for the NAD+ salvage pathway and to alter cellular methylation balance, and in mouse adipocytes these changes have been associated with increased NAD+ levels and reduced fat accumulation. These links come mainly from cell and rodent studies, and the relative contributions of NAD+ and methylation effects in vivo are not fully resolved.

Research

Adipocyte studies in culture

In cultured adipocytes, 5-amino-1MQ inhibited NNMT activity, reduced production of 1-methylnicotinamide, increased intracellular NAD+ and SAM, and reduced lipid accumulation during differentiation. These are in-vitro findings and served to show that the compound engages its target in cells. The compound was selected from a series of quinolinium analogues tested for NNMT inhibition and cell permeability. Effects in other cell types and specificity against related methyltransferases were examined in the developing group's work.

Diet-induced obesity in mice

In mice fed a high-fat diet, treatment with 5-amino-1MQ was reported to reduce body weight and white adipose tissue mass and to lower plasma cholesterol, without a reduction in food intake. These results come from a small number of studies by the developing research group. They are animal findings and have not been tested in controlled human trials. Long-term safety was not assessed.

Muscle and aging models

The same research network has examined NNMT inhibition in models of aged muscle, reporting effects on muscle stem cell activity and regeneration in older mice. This work is preliminary, preclinical and limited in replication. NNMT biology in other tissues, including cancer, is also an area of research, which raises questions about effects of long-term inhibition. Human data on these questions are absent.

Regulatory status

5-Amino-1MQ is not approved by the FDA for any use and is not a peptide. It was not among the substances reviewed by the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee in July 2026. It is handled as a research chemical; check current status in other jurisdictions. For sport, check the current WADA Prohibited List.

Status changes often. See the regulatory tracker for dated updates.

Quality and identity testing

Because 5-amino-1MQ is a small molecule rather than a peptide, its certificate of analysis should confirm identity by mass spectrometry and ideally by NMR spectroscopy, and report purity by HPLC with UV detection. As a permanently charged cation, it must be supplied as a salt, so the certificate should name the counter-ion and report content of the active cation. Positional isomers (amino group at a different ring position) and unmethylated quinoline precursors are relevant impurities. Residual solvents and water content are useful additional data.

For a walkthrough of each section of a certificate, see how to read a COA.

Storage and stability

Store 5-amino-1MQ sealed at -20 °C or at the temperature stated on the supplier documentation, protected from light and moisture. Aromatic amines can discolor on exposure to light and air, which may indicate degradation. Allow containers to reach room temperature before opening, prepare solutions close to use, and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

Download the 5-Amino-1MQ data sheet (PDF): sequence, masses, expected MS ions and handling on one printable page.

Latest research

Frequently asked questions

Related compounds

• NAD+

  NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is not a peptide; it is a dinucleotide coenzyme essential for redox metabolism and a substrate for sirtuins, PARPs and CD38. It is studied in aging and metabolic research.

• MOTS-c

  MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid peptide encoded within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene, described in 2015 as a regulator of metabolic homeostasis. Research is mainly in cell and rodent models, with limited human data.

• Glutathione

  Glutathione is a tripeptide (γ-Glu-Cys-Gly) found in nearly all cells, where it acts as a major antioxidant and redox buffer. Its glutamate is linked through the side-chain gamma carboxyl, an unusual, non-standard peptide bond.

References

1. PubMed: all indexed literature on 5-Amino-1MQ
2. ClinicalTrials.gov: registered studies mentioning 5-Amino-1MQ