What Is KPV?
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KPV is the tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val, corresponding to the C-terminal 11–13 sequence of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It is studied in cell systems and animal models examining peptide transport and inflammatory-signalling pathways. Evidence for KPV remains predominantly preclinical.
How is KPV classified and what is its structure?
KPV is a three-amino-acid peptide composed of lysine, proline and valine. It represents the C-terminal tripeptide sequence of alpha-MSH and is also referred to in the literature as alpha-MSH (11–13).
KPV should not be assumed to reproduce every receptor interaction or biological property of the full alpha-MSH peptide.
How are KPV’s mechanisms studied in research?
Cell and mouse studies have investigated KPV uptake through peptide transporter 1 (PepT1). Experimental readouts have included NF-kappaB and MAP-kinase signalling, cytokine expression and histological measures in defined animal models.
These mechanisms were measured under specific laboratory conditions. They do not demonstrate a clinical outcome in humans.
What kind of research has been published on KPV?
A 2008 study combined epithelial and immune-cell experiments with two mouse models to examine PepT1-mediated uptake and signalling. Later murine work investigated the relationship between PepT1, KPV and colitis-associated model endpoints. A separate 2008 paper evaluated KPV in two other murine intestinal-inflammation models and reported that some observed effects were independent of functional MC1R signalling. More recent KPV literature is dominated by delivery-system research — including a 2024 study in Frontiers in Pharmacology that used KPV as a comparator arm in a PepT1-targeted nanoparticle formulation tested in murine colitis models.
The evidence cited here is useful for pathway and model selection. It is not evidence of an approved use and should not be presented as human clinical guidance.
What compounds is KPV studied alongside?
KPV is the C-terminal tripeptide fragment of alpha-MSH, and published pharmacology work has dissected the two side by side, in some studies together with the synthetic melanocortin analogue melanotan II as a comparator. These comparisons describe how the peptides are grouped in the published melanocortin literature; they do not imply equivalence between compounds or any human-use indication.
How is KPV supplied, tested and handled?
Lazarus Labs supplies KPV 10MG as a lyophilised laboratory reference material with third-party batch documentation and a Certificate of Analysis (COA). Store cold, dry and protected from light in accordance with your laboratory protocol.
References
- Dalmasso G, et al. PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation. Gastroenterology. PMID: 18061177.
- Viennois E, et al. Critical role of PepT1 in promoting colitis-associated cancer and therapeutic benefits of the anti-inflammatory PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV in a murine model. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. PMID: 27458604.
- Kannengiesser K, et al. Melanocortin-derived tripeptide KPV has anti-inflammatory potential in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. PMID: 18092346.
- Zhang D, et al. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2024. PMID: 39211778.
- Getting SJ, et al. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 2003. PMID: 12750433.
Primary preclinical literature verified against PubMed. Citations are provided for scientific reference and do not imply a human-use indication.
Important
For research use only. Not for human or veterinary consumption. KPV is supplied solely as a laboratory reference material. Lazarus Labs makes no therapeutic, medical or performance claims, and nothing on this page is medical advice.