5-Amino-1MQ — 5-amino-1-methylquinolinium — is a small-molecule selective inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), the enzyme that methylates nicotinamide as part of NAD+ salvage and consumption pathways. Studied in muscle stem-cell, adipose-metabolism, and ageing-biology research contexts as a research tool for dissecting NNMT-pathway biology.
Definition
5-Amino-1MQ is a small-molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase, a cytosolic enzyme that catalyses transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to nicotinamide to produce 1-methylnicotinamide and S-adenosylhomocysteine. NNMT activity is the rate-limiting consumer of nicotinamide in tissues where the enzyme is highly expressed (notably liver, adipose tissue, and certain tumour types), and elevated NNMT activity has been implicated in adipose-tissue dysfunction, muscle stem-cell dysfunction in ageing, and tumour-promoting metabolic reprogramming.
5-Amino-1MQ is not a peptide — it is a small-molecule chemical inhibitor with a quinolinium scaffold. The compound is included in the Ronin catalog as a research-supply reagent for laboratories studying NNMT-pathway biology in muscle, adipose, and metabolic-disease contexts. The compound has not been approved for therapeutic use by any major regulator.
How 5-Amino-1MQ is studied in NNMT pathway research
The compound is used as a pharmacological tool to inhibit NNMT activity and test the consequences for downstream metabolite pools, gene expression, and tissue phenotypes. NNMT inhibition raises tissue nicotinamide levels (nicotinamide is the salvage-pathway precursor for NAD+) and reduces 1-methylnicotinamide levels, with downstream consequences for NAD+ pool size, SAM/SAH ratio, and methylation balance. The Dimet-Wiley work documented effects of NNMT inhibition combined with reduced-calorie diet on the gut microbiome in diet-induced obese mice (PMID 35013352). The cancer-context NNMT framing in cancer-associated fibroblasts is documented in the Yang work (PMID 39067875), establishing NNMT as a metabolic target in tumour-microenvironment biology.
The published research base specific to 5-Amino-1MQ as the inhibitor compound is comparatively young and small relative to the broader NNMT-pathway literature. Researchers selecting the compound for a specific experimental program should consult the most recent specialist literature on NNMT inhibitor pharmacology and selectivity profiles.
Related terms
- NAD+
- NNMT / nicotinamide N-methyltransferase
- Nicotinamide
- 1-Methylnicotinamide (MNA)
- S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)
- Quinolinium scaffold
Where 5-Amino-1MQ appears in the Ronin catalog
- 5-Amino-1MQ 10mg — single-compound vial, lyophilized solid; small-molecule NNMT inhibitor research reagent
References
- Dimet-Wiley A et al. Reduced calorie diet combined with NNMT inhibition establishes a distinct microbiome in DIO mice. Sci Rep 2022;12(1):484. [PMID 35013352]
- Yang M et al. NAD(+) metabolism enzyme NNMT in cancer-associated fibroblasts drives tumor progression and resistance to immunotherapy by modulating macrophages in urothelial bladder cancer. J Immunother Cancer 2024;12(7):e009017. [PMID 39067875]
Glossary entries describe research-context use of peptide-research terminology. They do not constitute medical, veterinary, or clinical advice. 5-Amino-1MQ is sold strictly as a research-grade reagent for laboratory and bench research applications.