KPV
Also known as: α-MSH 11-13 fragment · Lys-Pro-Val · melanocortin-derived tripeptide
The α-MSH 11-13 tripeptide fragment (Lys-Pro-Val) with anti-inflammatory activity mediated through melanocortin-receptor-adjacent mechanisms — studied for gut, skin, and emerging neuroinflammation research applications.
KPV (Lys-Pro-Val) is the α-MSH 11-13 tripeptide fragment with anti-inflammatory activity relevant to gut, skin, and emerging neuroinflammation research applications.
Evidence tier: C — preclinical / mechanistic evidence only
- Category
- Neuroprotection
- Half-life
- Short plasma half-life; anti-inflammatory effects extend beyond exposure
Section 1
Overview
KPV (Lysine-Proline-Valine) is a small tripeptide fragment derived from the C-terminal region of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). It retains α-MSH's anti-inflammatory activity while lacking the pigmentation-related and appetite-related effects mediated by the parent hormone's engagement of the primary melanocortin receptors (MC1R, MC4R). The mechanism operates through melanocortin-receptor-adjacent pathways, providing an anti-inflammatory research tool with reduced off-target endocrine effects.
The compound's research applications span gut inflammatory disease (particularly inflammatory bowel disease research where the anti-inflammatory activity is directly relevant), skin inflammatory conditions, and emerging neuroinflammation research contexts. The cognitive-relevance angle emerges from the neuroinflammation research application — chronic neuroinflammation is a substantial contributor to age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease pathophysiology, and anti-inflammatory peptides with CNS effects provide research-tool angles for probing this contribution.
KPV is included on this reference primarily to acknowledge the anti-inflammatory research applications relevant to neuroinflammation-driven cognitive-decline research. Direct cognitive-endpoint clinical trials have not been completed, and the primary research applications remain in the gut, skin, and general anti-inflammatory contexts rather than pure cognitive research.
Section 2
Discovery & History
- Identified as the C-terminal tripeptide fragment of α-MSH retaining the anti-inflammatory activity of the parent hormone while lacking the pigmentation and appetite effects.
- Extensively characterised in gut inflammation research contexts, particularly inflammatory bowel disease models, through the 1990s and 2000s.
- Research applications extended into skin inflammatory conditions and general anti-inflammatory research through the 2000s and 2010s.
- Neuroinflammation research applications have emerged from academic groups exploring the anti-inflammatory mechanism's relevance to neurodegenerative disease and cognitive-decline contexts.
- Not licensed as a medicine in any major jurisdiction; remains a research chemical.
Section 3
Mechanism of Action
- 1Anti-inflammatory effects via melanocortin-receptor-adjacent mechanisms — the tripeptide retains α-MSH's anti-inflammatory activity while lacking the primary MC1R/MC4R receptor engagement that mediates the pigmentation and appetite effects.
- 2Reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and modulation of NF-κB signalling in inflammatory contexts across multiple tissue systems.
- 3Modulation of macrophage phenotype toward the resolution-oriented M2 state, contributing to anti-inflammatory effects in tissue-injury contexts.
- 4Gut-mucosa-protective effects in inflammatory bowel disease research models — reduced colitis severity and preserved intestinal-barrier function.
- 5Skin anti-inflammatory effects extending the pharmacology into dermatological research applications.
- 6Reported CNS anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical neuroinflammation models, providing the mechanistic scaffold for the emerging neuroinflammation research applications relevant to cognitive decline.
- 7Reduction of microglial activation markers in preclinical CNS-injury and neuroinflammatory disease models, extending the mechanism into cognitive-relevance research contexts.
Section 4
Researched Benefits
Findings reported in the published preclinical and clinical literature. Effects in research contexts do not constitute claims of therapeutic benefit in humans.
- 1Anti-inflammatory effects via a distinctive melanocortin-adjacent mechanism providing a research-tool niche unshared by other peptides on this reference.
- 2Gut-mucosa-protective effects with well-characterised research applications in inflammatory bowel disease contexts.
- 3Skin anti-inflammatory effects supporting dermatological research applications.
- 4Emerging neuroinflammation research applications relevant to cognitive-decline research.
- 5Small tripeptide chemistry providing practical research handling and stability advantages.
- 6Reduced off-target endocrine effects relative to parent α-MSH (no pigmentation, minimal appetite effects).
- 7Well-tolerated in preclinical research at studied doses.
Section 5
Theoretical Dosing & Protocols
| Route | Dosage | Frequency | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subcutaneous / topical / oral (research) | Microgram-to-milligram range in research protocols; specific dose varies by research application | Variable depending on research application | Course lengths vary from days for acute-inflammation research to weeks for chronic inflammation research |
Note: The small tripeptide structure provides some oral bioavailability, unusual for a peptide of this cognitive-relevance research family.
Section 6
Administration Routes
- Subcutaneous administration in most systemic-effect research contexts.
- Topical administration for skin inflammatory research applications.
- Oral administration is feasible for KPV owing to the small tripeptide structure — a distinctive advantage over most peptide-based research tools.
- Intranasal administration explored in some CNS-directed research applications.
Section 7
Safety Profile
Commonly reported
- · Well-tolerated in preclinical research at studied doses.
- · Injection-site reactions with parenteral administration.
- · Mild skin reactions with topical administration.
- · No dependence, tolerance, or withdrawal phenomena documented.
Rare / theoretical
- · Long-term safety data is limited to preclinical research contexts.
- · Theoretical interactions with melanocortin-system-active pharmaceuticals.
- · Rare hypersensitivity reactions.
- · No documented cognitive-endpoint clinical safety data.
Contraindications
- · Not authorised for human use in the UK.
- · Pregnancy and lactation — no controlled data.
- · Concurrent use with anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive pharmaceuticals should be evaluated for interaction.
Section 8
UK & EU Regulatory Context
United Kingdom
Not a licensed medicine in the UK. Research chemical only.
European Union
Not approved by the EMA.
Section 9
Clinical Studies Summary
KPV anti-inflammatory characterisation
Foundational characterisation of KPV's anti-inflammatory activity as retained from parent α-MSH while lacking the pigmentation and appetite effects, establishing the mechanism-of-action framework via melanocortin-receptor-adjacent pathways and providing the research-tool niche for the compound.
KPV in inflammatory bowel disease research
Preclinical and early-clinical research applications of KPV in inflammatory bowel disease models, reporting reduced colitis severity and preserved intestinal-barrier function in treated cohorts. Provides the primary research-application evidence base for the compound in gut-inflammation contexts.
KPV in skin inflammatory conditions
Research applications of KPV in skin inflammatory research contexts including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis models, reporting anti-inflammatory effects and providing the dermatological research application evidence base.
KPV in neuroinflammation research (emerging)
Emerging preclinical research applications of KPV in neuroinflammation research contexts including lipopolysaccharide-driven microglial activation models, reporting reduced microglial activation markers and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Provides the mechanistic scaffold for the cognitive-relevance research applications via the neuroinflammation-cognitive-decline connection.
Section 10
Frequently Asked Questions
Section 10a
Practical Research Guidance
Cycle guidance
Reconstitution & storage
UK sourcing notes
Section 11
Sourcing for Laboratory Research
Sourcing KPV for laboratory research
Researchers in the United Kingdom and elsewhere typically obtain KPV from specialist research-chemical suppliers. Purity, third-party testing, and supplier transparency are the principal differentiators worth evaluating before placing an order. The two suppliers below are commonly referenced in UK research contexts.
Reminder: research peptides are sold strictly for in vitro and preclinical laboratory purposes. Importation or supply for human consumption is not permitted under UK medicines legislation.