5-Amino-1MQ — Oral Capsules & Tablets

This is the oral (capsule & tablet) format of 5-Amino-1MQ, supplied as 50 mg × 60 capsules or 50 mg × 60 tablets for research convenience. The compound is identical to the lyophilized vial format.

5-Amino-1MQ (5-amino-1-methylquinolinium) is a small-molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), an enzyme involved in cellular energy metabolism. NNMT catalyzes the methylation of nicotinamide, diverting it from the NAD+ salvage pathway. By inhibiting NNMT, 5-Amino-1MQ has been investigated for its potential to increase intracellular NAD+ levels and modulate lipid metabolism in preclinical settings. The compound was first characterized in metabolic research exploring the role of NNMT in adipose tissue biology. It is a cell-permeable, selective NNMT inhibitor that does not require cofactors for activity. Researchers have studied 5-Amino-1MQ in the context of diet-induced obesity models and cellular metabolic flux. It is supplied as a lyophilized powder for reconstitution in research applications.

5-Amino-1MQ has been investigated for its selective inhibition of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). NNMT normally methylates nicotinamide using S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) as a methyl donor, producing 1-methylnicotinamide and S-adenosylhomocysteine. Researchers observed that by blocking this enzymatic step, 5-Amino-1MQ may increase the availability of nicotinamide for conversion back to NAD+ through the salvage pathway. In preclinical adipocyte models, studies suggest this shift in metabolic flux is associated with changes in lipogenic gene expression, including reduced expression of key adipogenic transcription factors. Additionally, NNMT inhibition has been linked to alterations in the SAM/SAH ratio, which may influence broader epigenetic methylation patterns. In diet-induced obesity models, researchers observed that administration of 5-Amino-1MQ was associated with changes in body composition parameters without significant alterations in food intake.

NNMT Inhibition and Adiposity

Neelakantan et al. (2018) investigated a series of NNMT inhibitors including 5-Amino-1MQ in a murine diet-induced obesity model. The researchers observed that treatment was associated with reduced adipocyte size and altered lipid accumulation compared to control groups. The study characterized the compound’s selectivity for NNMT over other methyltransferases [1].

NNMT in Metabolic Regulation

Kraus et al. (2014) published foundational work demonstrating that NNMT expression in adipose tissue correlates with metabolic parameters in preclinical models. Knockdown of NNMT in adipocytes was associated with increased NAD+ levels and altered expression of genes involved in energy expenditure, providing the rationale for pharmacological NNMT inhibition [2].

SAM Metabolism and Epigenetics

Ulanovskaya et al. (2013) characterized the role of NNMT in cancer cell metabolism, demonstrating that NNMT activity creates a metabolic sink for SAM. This work established the broader significance of NNMT in methylation-dependent cellular processes and provided context for the development of selective inhibitors [3].