Lys-Pro-Val · α-MSH(11-13)

KPV in Canada

Also known as Lys-Pro-Val · α-MSH(11-13) · Alpha-MSH C-terminal tripeptide · Lysine-Proline-Valine

KPV is the tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val — the last three amino acids of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It was identified in the 1980s as the fragment that carried α-MSH's anti-inflammatory activity without its pigmentation activity, and it has since been studied mainly in mouse models of colitis, where it is taken up by the intestinal transporter PepT1 and reported to dampen NF-κB-driven inflammation. There are no human trials. Canada Peptides carries research-grade KPV as a standalone vial and as a component of the KLOW blend, priced and shipped in CAD for laboratory and research use only.

Quick facts

Class: Synthetic tripeptide, C-terminal fragment of α-MSH (residues 11–13)
Structure: 3 amino acids · Lys-Pro-Val · ~342 Da
Half-life: Not formally characterised; free tripeptides are cleared from plasma within minutes
Route in research: Oral (drinking water, nanoparticles), intraperitoneal, intracolonic and topical in animal and cell studies
Cadence in research: Continuous in drinking water or once daily in mouse colitis models
Storage: Lyophilised: refrigerated, dark. Reconstituted: refrigerated, used within weeks
Status in Canada: No Health Canada market authorisation or DIN. Research use only

Pharmacology

The anti-inflammatory activity of α-MSH is usually attributed to the melanocortin-1 receptor, MC1R, which is expressed on immune cells as well as melanocytes. KPV complicates that story. The tripeptide lacks the His-Phe-Arg-Trp core that binds melanocortin receptors, and its activity has been reported in cells with little or no functional MC1R, which has led several authors to propose that at least part of its effect is receptor-independent. The 2008 review in Endocrine Reviews by Brzoska and colleagues lays out this debate in detail and notes reports that KPV enters cells and localises to the nucleus.

The PepT1 finding gave that idea a mechanism. PepT1 is the proton-coupled transporter that moves di- and tripeptides across the intestinal brush border; it is expressed at low levels in healthy colon and upregulated in inflamed colon. Dalmasso and colleagues showed in 2008 that KPV uptake into colonic epithelial cells was PepT1-dependent, that the uptake reduced NF-κB nuclear translocation and cytokine secretion in response to inflammatory stimuli, and that the effect was lost when PepT1 was inhibited. In that model KPV is less a ligand for a surface receptor than a cargo that the transporter delivers to the inside of the cell.

Downstream, the common finding across cell types is inhibition of the NF-κB pathway — reduced IκB degradation, reduced p65 nuclear translocation and lower transcription of NF-κB-dependent genes. Some studies also report inhibition of MAP-kinase signalling. The antimicrobial reports from 2000 add a separate thread: KPV and other α-MSH fragments were reported to reduce the viability of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans in vitro, possibly through effects on microbial cAMP, though that line of work has not been extended much since.

Pharmacokinetics have not been formally studied. A free tripeptide in plasma would be expected to be cleared within minutes by peptidases, which is part of why the oral-delivery and colon-targeting formulations exist: the interesting site of action is the gut wall, and PepT1 is there.

KPV FAQ

Is KPV for sale in Canada?

Yes. Research-grade KPV is available in Canada from Canada Peptides as a standalone vial and as a component of the KLOW blend, priced and shipped in CAD. It is supplied strictly for laboratory and research use, not for human consumption.

What is KPV?

KPV is the tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val, the last three amino acids of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It was identified in 1989 as the fragment that carried α-MSH's anti-inflammatory activity without its pigmentation activity, and it is studied mainly in mouse models of intestinal inflammation.

What does the research on KPV actually show?

Consistent reductions in NF-κB activation and inflammatory cytokines in cultured intestinal, immune and skin cells, and reduced disease severity in mouse colitis models when given orally, with uptake through the intestinal transporter PepT1. Two independent groups have reported the colitis findings. There are no human trials.

What is the half-life of KPV?

It has not been formally measured. A free tripeptide would be expected to be cleared from plasma within minutes by peptidases, which is why much of the research uses oral and colon-targeted delivery aimed at the gut wall rather than the bloodstream.

How was KPV dosed in studies?

Mouse colitis studies gave KPV in drinking water at roughly 100 µmol/L, or in far smaller amounts via colon-targeted nanoparticles; older rodent work used low milligram-per-kilogram intraperitoneal doses; cell studies used 10 to 100 µmol/L. There is no validated human dose, and this page does not recommend one.

What side effects does KPV research report?

None have been reported in the animal studies, but no human safety data exists at all. Because it does not activate melanocortin receptors, the pigmentation and nausea effects of Melanotan II and PT-141 are not expected. The FDA declined to permit it in compounded medicines in 2023 for lack of safety data.

Is KPV legal in Canada?

KPV is not a controlled substance in Canada, but it has no Health Canada approval for human use and no DIN. It may be sold for laboratory research, which is how it is sold here. It may not be marketed or supplied for human consumption.

What is in the KLOW blend and how does KPV fit?

KLOW combines KPV with GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500 — an anti-inflammatory tripeptide alongside an extracellular-matrix, an angiogenic and an actin-remodelling peptide. The rationale is non-overlapping mechanisms. No study has tested the combination.

KPV in Canada

Quick facts

KPV — for sale in Canada

What is KPV?

Evidence at a glance

Pharmacology

Identity and chemistry

Storage and stability

Research indications

Research protocols

Interactions and stacking in research

Reconstitution and handling

Side effects and safety signals

Regulatory status in Canada

Further reading

KPV FAQ

Research references