5-Amino-1MQ: Discovery & Research History
5-Amino-1MQ — a small-molecule NNMT inhibitor — how it was originally developed, and what it has been studied for since.
How 5-Amino-1MQ Was Discovered
Unlike most entries in our discovery history series, 5-Amino-1MQ is not a peptide — it's a small-molecule quinolinium compound. Its story starts with a 2014 genetic study, not the compound itself: researchers led by William Kraus published "Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase knockdown protects against diet-induced obesity" in Nature, showing that the enzyme NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase) is elevated in the fat tissue and liver of obese, diabetic mice, and that knocking it down with antisense oligonucleotides raised adipose SAM and NAD+ levels, increased energy expenditure, and protected mice against diet-induced obesity. That study established NNMT as a promising obesity target, but it used a genetic knockdown technique, not a drug.
The compound itself came four years later. In 2018, a team led by Stanley Watowich at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) published "Selective and membrane-permeable small molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase reverse high fat diet-induced obesity in mice" in Biochemical Pharmacology, introducing 5-amino-1MQ as a selective, cell-permeable pharmacological NNMT inhibitor (IC50 ≈ 1.2 μM) — essentially a drug-like tool designed to validate the 2014 genetic finding with an actual small molecule. Dosed into diet-induced obese mice, it reduced body weight and white adipose mass without affecting food intake or lean mass, mirroring the mechanism the genetic study had pointed to.
What 5-Amino-1MQ Has Been Studied For
Research interest in 5-Amino-1MQ centers on NNMT's role at the intersection of NAD+ metabolism and adipose tissue biology, and what selectively blocking it can reveal about energy expenditure.
- Obesity and metabolic syndrome research
- Adipose-tissue NAD+/SAM biology
- Energy expenditure research
- SIRT1 signaling pathway studies
5-Amino-1MQ discovery & history questions
Does 5-Amino-1MQ's research history mean it's approved for a particular use?
No. This page describes how 5-Amino-1MQ was originally developed and what it has been studied for since — it is historical and educational context, not a claim about current regulatory approval, safety, or legal status anywhere. 5-Amino-1MQ has not completed human clinical trials and is not FDA-approved for any indication. KYIN Peptides sells it strictly for laboratory research use.
What has 5-Amino-1MQ been studied for in research?
5-Amino-1MQ is most commonly studied as a selective NNMT inhibitor in obesity and metabolic syndrome research, adipose-tissue NAD+/SAM biology, energy expenditure research, and SIRT1 signaling studies.
Looking for 5-Amino-1MQ specs and pricing?
View purity, available sizes, and pricing on the product page.