- Also known as
- KPV peptide · Lys-Pro-Val · lysine-proline-valine · alpha-MSH (11-13) · α-MSH 11-13
- Class
- Melanocortin-derived tripeptide (C-terminal fragment of α-MSH)
- Form
- Lyophilised powder in 10 mg vials and capsules
- Sizes
- 10 mg
- Storage, dry
- −20 °C, dry and dark
- Storage, mixed
- 2–8 °C, use within 28 days of mixing (as generally reported for reconstituted peptides)
- BAC water per size
- 10 mg: 2 mL
- Molecular weight
- 342.4 g/mol
What is KPV?
KPV is a melanocortin-derived tripeptide (C-terminal fragment of α-MSH), and that classification is where the published work starts. Its molecular weight is 342.4 g/mol. Its sequence is recorded as Lys-Pro-Val, residues 11–13 of α-MSH. Published work on it is in rat, mouse, cell culture and human skin ex vivo. No human study of KPV has been published, so nothing on this page describes what it does in a person. We hold it as lyophilised powder in 10 mg vials and capsules; it is research material and nothing else. Nothing here is a medicine; it is not for human or veterinary use.
What the research shows
| Study | Model | Dose used | Duration | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalmasso G et al.2008 · Gastroenterology · PMID 18061177 | Mouse, DSS- and TNBS-induced colitis models; human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco2-BBE, HT29-Cl.19A) and T cells (Jurkat) | Nanomolar concentrations in cells; in mice, KPV added to drinking water (amount not stated in the abstract) | Not stated in the abstract | Nanomolar KPV inhibited NF-κB and MAP kinase signalling and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, acting through the PepT1 transporter. Oral KPV reduced the incidence of DSS- and TNBS-induced colitis in mice. |
| Kannengiesser K et al.2008 · Inflamm Bowel Dis · PMID 18092346 | Mouse, DSS colitis and CD45RBhi transfer colitis models, including mice with a nonfunctional MC1 receptor | Not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | KPV gave earlier recovery and stronger regain of body weight, with fewer inflammatory infiltrates and lower colonic MPO activity. In MC1R-deficient mice, KPV rescued all treated animals from death during DSS colitis, suggesting effects partly independent of MC1R. |
| Xiao B et al.2017 · Mol Ther · PMID 28143741 | Mouse, ulcerative colitis model; colonic epithelial cells and macrophages | Oral KPV in hyaluronic acid-functionalised nanoparticles within a chitosan/alginate hydrogel; amount not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | The HA-KPV nanoparticle hydrogel prevented mucosal damage and lowered TNF-α more than a KPV nanoparticle hydrogel without hyaluronic acid. The nanoparticles appeared nontoxic and biocompatible with intestinal cells. |
| Sun J et al.2021 · ACS Biomater Sci Eng · PMID 34547895 | Rat, TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis model (rectal hydrogel) | KPV in a 4% SH-PGA hydrogel, given rectally; KPV amount not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | The KPV hydrogel reduced body weight loss and disease activity score, prevented colon shortening, lowered colonic myeloperoxidase and reduced TNF-α and IL-6. The abstract notes that plain KPV solution is very unstable when given rectally. |
| Zhao Y et al.2022 · Acta Biomater · PMID 35245681 | Rat, TNBS-induced colitis model (intracolonic hydrogel) | KPV captured in a PMSP hydrogel, given intracolonically; amount not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | The hydrogel significantly improved the effect of KPV on colitis, the colon's epithelial barrier recovered, and gut flora shifted toward microorganisms associated with gut homeostasis. |
| Zhang L et al.2024 · Adv Healthc Mater · PMID 39252648 | Mouse, vascular calcification model; cells in vitro (KPV combined with rapamycin) | KPV-rapamycin nanoparticles; amount not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | KPV-rapamycin nanoparticles significantly inhibited vascular calcification in mice compared with the other treatment groups, with reduced inflammatory responses and activated autophagy. The effect of KPV alone cannot be separated from rapamycin in this design. |
| Pawar K et al.2017 · J Pharm Sci · PMID 28343991 | Human skin ex vivo (dermatomed), transdermal delivery study | Not stated in the abstract | Not stated in the abstract | Passive KPV permeation was below detection (0.01 μg/mL). Microneedles raised it to 4.4 μg/cm²/h, and iontophoresis alone and with microneedles increased it 8- and 35-fold over microneedles alone. |
| Elliott RJ et al.2004 · J Invest Dermatol · PMID 15102092 | Cell culture (HaCaT and normal human keratinocytes; Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing MC1R) | 10⁻¹⁵ to 10⁻⁷ M | Not stated in the abstract | KPV did not raise cyclic AMP in keratinocytes. It raised intracellular calcium in HaCaT keratinocytes when an adenosine agonist was present, and in cells transfected with the MC1 receptor. |
What these studies don't show: Everything above ran in animals or in culture. They do not show what KPV does in a person, because that has not been tested. Species differences make direct translation unsafe to assume. A certificate of analysis answers what the material is, not what it does.
Every study links to its PubMed record. See all KPV studies in the research library →
KPV price in Canada: 10mg vial
Buy KPV in Canada in a 10mg vial, plus capsules and a starter kit. Prices are in Canadian dollars, you pay by Interac e-Transfer or bank transfer, and orders are shipped from Canadian stock.
| Size | Price | Per mg |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mg | $43.00 | $4.30/mg |
Other formats and kits
Is KPV available in Canada?
Canada has no authorized KPV product: no DIN has been issued for it. Health Canada has made no finding about it, because it has never been submitted for one. Borealis Peptides holds it for in-vitro research; it is not supplied for use in any living subject. How Health Canada treats research peptides →
Side effects reported in studies
Absence of a reported effect in a small study is not evidence of safety. Each statement is tied to the study that reported it. None of the cited abstracts states a tolerability finding for KPV. Read more →
Doses used in studies
KPV FAQ
What is KPV?
KPV is a melanocortin-derived tripeptide (C-terminal fragment of α-MSH). The published work on it is in rat, mouse, cell culture and human skin ex vivo. Borealis Peptides supplies it as lyophilised powder in 10 mg vials and capsules for in-vitro laboratory research. It is not a medicine and is not for use in humans or animals. Every reference here is listed with the model it ran in and the finding as published.
Where can I buy KPV in Canada?
Borealis Peptides ships KPV from Canadian stock to research and business addresses in Canada. It is held in 10 mg vials. Every batch is tested by HPLC and the certificate names the batch in your vial. Orders are accepted for laboratory research only.
Is KPV legal in Canada?
Canada has no authorized KPV product: no DIN has been issued for it. Health Canada has made no finding about it, because it has never been submitted for one. Borealis Peptides holds it for in-vitro research; it is not supplied for use in any living subject. Health Canada has said that "Research Use Only" labelling does not make a product legal to use in a person, so we treat it as a description of what the material is supplied for rather than a permission.
How much KPV should I use?
We do not answer dosing questions. KPV is not supplied for use in a person or an animal, so there is no dose to describe. What this page carries is the amount each cited study used and the model it used it in, reproduced as the authors published it.
Has KPV been tested in people?
No. The 8 studies cited here used animals or cell culture. There is no published human study of KPV, so there is no evidence about what it does in a person, and this page makes no claim about that. The animal work is listed with its model so it can be read for what it is.
What storage does KPV need?
Sealed vials are held at −20 °C, dry and out of the light. Once reconstituted, 2–8 °C. The lyophilised powder tolerates ambient temperature in transit, so it ships without ice and goes into the fridge on arrival. Light and repeated warming do more damage than the journey.
Does KPV need bacteriostatic water?
The capsules are a dry oral format and take no liquid. Only the lyophilised vial is supplied dry, and that is the one format bacteriostatic water applies to. It is sold separately. Testing is batch by batch, so the certificate matches the vial rather than the product line.
How is the purity of KPV confirmed?
Every batch is tested by HPLC before it is sold, and the certificate refers to the batch in your vial rather than to the product in general. Keeping that batch number with your records is what makes an observation reproducible later. Certificates are available on request.
How does KPV compare with KLOW and BPC-157?
These are separate compounds with separate literatures; no ranking is offered here. KLOW and BPC-157 have 8 cited studies and 7 cited studies on their page against 8 here. The useful comparison is between the two study tables and the models behind them.
Compare with
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