5-Amino-1MQ
Also known as: 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium, 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium iodide, 5MQ, NNMTi
Small molecule NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase) inhibitor; quinolinium compound
What it is
5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a small molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), a cytosolic metabolic enzyme involved in NAD metabolism. By inhibiting NNMT, it modulates downstream pathways relevant to tumor progression, metabolic regulation, and immune response. In cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in urothelial bladder cancer (UBC), NNMT drives tumor progression by epigenetically reprogramming serum amyloid A (SAA) expression to recruit and differentiate tumor-associated macrophages; targeting NNMT with 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium iodide reduced tumor growth and enhanced apoptotic effects of anti-PD-L1 antibody in mouse models. In diet-induced obese (DIO) mice, NNMT inhibition combined with low-fat diet promoted whole-body adiposity and weight loss, normalizing these measures to age-matched lean controls, and was associated with distinct gut microbiome changes including decreased Erysipelatoclostridium and increased Lactobacillus. In vitro, 5MQ inhibited HeLa cervical cancer cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, reduced phospho-Akt and SIRT1 protein expression, and was associated with morphological signs of apoptosis, without apparently affecting HEK-293 (non-cancer) cell proliferation.
Class: Small molecule NNMT (nicotinamide N-methyltransferase) inhibitor; quinolinium compound
What it's studied for
- Urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) — NNMT inhibition to reduce tumor growth and enhance anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy response Animal studies only
- Targeting NNMT with 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium iodide significantly reduced tumor growth and enhanced the apoptotic effects of the anti-PD-L1 antibody in UBC mouse models. Elevated NNMT in CAFs was significantly associated with non-response to PD-L1 blockade immunotherapy in patients with UBC. PMID 39067875 Yang M et al. Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer, 2024.
- Obesity / adiposity reduction (diet-induced obesity model) Animal studies only
- NNMT inhibitor (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) combined with low-fat diet promoted dramatic whole-body adiposity and weight loss in DIO mice, rapidly normalizing these measures to age-matched lean animals, while low-fat diet switch alone was unable to restore these measures in the same time frame. PMID 35013352 Dimet-Wiley A et al. Scientific Reports, 2022.
- Gut microbiome modulation in obesity Animal studies only
- NNMTi-treated DIO mice switched to low-fat diet displayed a distinct microbiome pattern highlighted by decreased Erysipelatoclostridium and increased Lactobacillus relative abundances compared to vehicle counterparts. Parasutterella relative abundance significantly correlated with several adipose tissue metabolites. PMID 35013352 Dimet-Wiley A et al. Scientific Reports, 2022.
- Anti-proliferative activity in cervical cancer (HeLa cells) In vitro only
- 5MQ (0.1–500 µM) significantly inhibited HeLa cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Apoptotic morphology was observed. Phospho-Akt and SIRT1 expression were decreased. 5MQ did not apparently affect HEK-293 cell proliferation. PMID 33645410 Akar S et al. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2021.
Community-reported dosing
| Route | Dose | Frequency / Duration | Population / context | Source tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not stated | Not explicitly quantified in the abstract; described as 'the inhibitor 5-Amino-1-methylquinolinium iodide' | Not stated | animal | Research PMID 39067875 |
| Not stated | Not explicitly quantified in the abstract; described as 'NNMTi (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium)' | Not stated | animal | Research PMID 35013352 |
| In vitro (cell culture) | 0.1–500 µM | Not stated (concentration- and time-dependent assay) | in_vitro | Research PMID 33645410 |
| oral (capsule) | 50 mg | once daily | biohackers and body recomposition users targeting fat loss and metabolic improvement | [S] Claude Sonnet 4.6 — synthesized from aggregate training data |
| oral (capsule) | 100 mg | once daily | biohackers seeking enhanced fat loss or those who have titrated up from 50 mg | [S] Claude Sonnet 4.6 — synthesized from aggregate training data |
| oral (capsule) | 50 mg | twice daily (morning and midday) | biohackers attempting to sustain NNMT inhibition throughout the day for body recomposition | [S] Claude Sonnet 4.6 — synthesized from aggregate training data |
| oral (capsule) | 25 mg | once daily | new users or sensitive individuals beginning 5-Amino-1MQ for the first time | [S] Claude Sonnet 4.6 — synthesized from aggregate training data |
| oral (capsule) | 100 mg | once daily | biohackers stacking 5-Amino-1MQ with GLP-1 agonists (e.g. semaglutide) or other metabolic peptides for synergistic fat loss | [S] Claude Sonnet 4.6 — synthesized from aggregate training data |
| oral (capsule) | 100 mg | once daily | longevity-focused biohackers using 5-Amino-1MQ as part of a broader NAD+ and metabolic health stack | [S] Claude Sonnet 4.6 — synthesized from aggregate training data |
Tier key: Research = PMID-cited study · [C] = scraped community source · [S] = model-synthesized from aggregate community reports (softer evidence). How we source.
Safety signals
- 5MQ at tested concentrations did not apparently affect HEK-293 (non-cancer) cell proliferation in vitro, suggesting some degree of selectivity; however, broader toxicity profiling is not reported. PMID 33645410
- No adverse effects or safety signals are explicitly reported in the animal (DIO mouse) study. PMID 35013352
- No adverse effects or safety signals are explicitly reported in the bladder cancer mouse model study. PMID 39067875
Frequently asked
What is 5-Amino-1MQ and how does it work?
5-Amino-1MQ (also called 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium or 5MQ) is a small molecule inhibitor of the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), which is involved in NAD metabolism. In bladder cancer models, inhibiting NNMT in cancer-associated fibroblasts reduced tumor growth and improved response to immunotherapy. In obese mice, NNMT inhibition combined with a low-fat diet promoted significant fat and weight loss. In cervical cancer cells (HeLa), it inhibited proliferation and reduced oncogenic protein expression in vitro. All mechanistic evidence to date is from animal and cell studies; no human clinical trial data are available in the reviewed literature.
Has 5-Amino-1MQ been tested in humans?
Based on the reviewed literature, no human clinical trials for 5-Amino-1MQ are reported. Available evidence comes from mouse models of bladder cancer and diet-induced obesity, and from in vitro cell line experiments. Human safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy data are not available in the reviewed abstracts.
What dose of 5-Amino-1MQ should I take?
I'm not a medical professional and can't recommend a protocol for you specifically. What research has shown: in vitro studies used 0.1–500 µM in cell culture; animal studies did not specify doses in the reviewed abstracts. No human dosing data exist in the reviewed literature.
Can 5-Amino-1MQ help with weight loss?
In diet-induced obese mice, treatment with an NNMT inhibitor (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) combined with a low-fat diet promoted dramatic whole-body adiposity and weight loss, normalizing these measures to age-matched lean controls more rapidly than low-fat diet alone. These findings are from an animal model only; no human weight-loss data are available in the reviewed literature. I can't recommend this compound for weight loss in humans — please consult a licensed healthcare provider.
Does 5-Amino-1MQ have anti-cancer effects?
Preclinical evidence suggests potential anti-cancer activity. In bladder cancer mouse models, 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium iodide significantly reduced tumor growth and enhanced the apoptotic effects of anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. In HeLa cervical cancer cells in vitro, 5MQ (0.1–500 µM) inhibited cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner and reduced phospho-Akt and SIRT1 expression. These are animal and cell-line studies; no human cancer treatment data are available in the reviewed literature.
What are the known side effects or safety concerns of 5-Amino-1MQ?
The reviewed abstracts do not report explicit adverse effects or toxicity signals in animal studies. In vitro, 5MQ did not apparently affect non-cancer HEK-293 cell proliferation at tested concentrations, suggesting some selectivity. However, no human safety data, pharmacokinetics, or systematic toxicology studies are reported in the reviewed literature. The absence of reported adverse events in animal abstracts should not be interpreted as evidence of human safety.
What is the best way to inject or administer 5-Amino-1MQ?
I'm not a medical professional and can't recommend a protocol for you specifically. The reviewed abstracts do not describe specific routes, injection methods, or reconstitution procedures for 5-Amino-1MQ in either animal or human studies. No administration guidance can be derived from the available literature. Please consult a licensed healthcare provider.
Can I stack 5-Amino-1MQ with other peptides or compounds?
I can't recommend combining compounds — that's a prescribing decision. Here's what has been studied individually: 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium has been studied combined with a low-fat diet in obese mice and in combination with anti-PD-L1 antibody in bladder cancer mouse models, but no human stacking data or safety data for combinations are available in the reviewed literature.
Does 5-Amino-1MQ affect the gut microbiome?
In diet-induced obese mice, NNMTi (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) combined with a low-fat diet produced a distinct gut microbiome pattern compared to vehicle-treated controls, characterized by decreased Erysipelatoclostridium and increased Lactobacillus relative abundances. Parasutterella relative abundance correlated with several adipose tissue metabolites. These findings are from a mouse model; effects on the human gut microbiome are not known from the reviewed literature.
Is 5-Amino-1MQ legal or approved for human use?
The reviewed abstracts do not address the regulatory status of 5-Amino-1MQ with any regulatory agency (FDA, Health Canada, WADA, or others). Regulatory status requires manual verification with the relevant authorities. Please consult a licensed healthcare provider or regulatory resource.
References
- [1] PMID 39067875 — Targeting NNMT with 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium iodide significantly reduced tumor growth and enhanced the apoptotic effects of the anti-PD-L1 antibody in UBC m
- [2] PMID 35013352 — NNMT inhibitor (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) combined with low-fat diet promoted dramatic whole-body adiposity and weight loss in DIO mice, rapidly normalizing
- [3] PMID 33645410 — 5MQ (0.1–500 µM) significantly inhibited HeLa cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Apoptotic morphology was observed. Phospho-Akt a