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For research use only.

KPV

Alpha-MSH fragment · 3 amino acids
What it is

KPV is a tiny piece of alpha-MSH, a natural hormone, just three amino acids long, and it has been studied in mice for gut inflammation.[1]

Origin: An early study of its anti-inflammatory effect came in 1989 from Hiltz and Lipton at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, who found it reduced ear swelling in mice.[2] Earlier work had already tied this end of alpha-MSH to the hormone’s fever-lowering effect.[2]

KPV is amino acids 11 to 13 of alpha-MSHA strip of the 13 amino acids of alpha-MSH, in order. The last three, amino acids 11 to 13, K P V, are highlighted: they are the KPV fragment.ALPHA-MSH · 13 AMINO ACIDS113SYSMEHFRWGKPVKPV · amino acids 11–13 · 3 amino acids
What researchers study it for

Research areas

The research so far is in cells and animals.[3]

  • KPV lowered gut inflammation in two mouse models of colitis[1]
  • Given in drinking water, it also lowered colitis in mice[4]
  • In human gut and immune cells grown in the lab, it entered through a transporter called PepT1 and blocked NF-κB, a key inflammation signal[4]
  • Healing of skin wounds in rodents[3]

Evidence level

Level 1 of 4: Lab and animal onlyFDA found no clinical studies or other human data on KPV by any route.[3]

Why so few human trials?

Cautions

Studies and regulators point to several reasons for care.

  • FDA has not found any human exposure data, so it lacks the information to know whether KPV would harm people[5]
  • FDA found no animal toxicity or cancer studies to judge its safety[3]
  • How KPV works is still unclear, since lab tests suggest it doesn’t act through alpha-MSH’s usual receptors[3]
  • In a lab test on human skin, KPV did not pass well through the skin’s outer layer[3]

KPV is not FDA approved.[3]

Also called

KPV goes by several names.

  • Lys-Pro-Val, or lysine-proline-valine[3]
  • Alpha-MSH(11-13), meaning amino acids 11 to 13 of alpha-MSH[1]
  • KPV acetate, its salt form[3]

Often paired with

GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500. Together the four are known as the KLOW blend.[6]

GHK-CuBPC-157TB-500Together:BlendKLOW blend →

Good to know

Unlike alpha-MSH, KPV doesn’t affect skin pigment but keeps the hormone’s anti-inflammatory effect, which is why researchers proposed it for inflammation.[7]

Handling

Storage basics General

These general basics apply to most freeze-dried research peptides.

Most research peptides come as a freeze-dried powder in a sealed vial
Unmixed vials are generally kept cold, dry, and away from light
Mixed solutions are generally refrigerated, since they are less stable than the dry powder
Peptides 101For mixing basicsNPL Dose CalculatorTo work out concentration after mixing
Go deeper

Sources and studies

These studies and official pages are the research behind this profile.