RESEARCH USE ONLY — NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. This article is written for laboratory researchers. KPV is supplied strictly as a research compound. It is not for human or veterinary use, and nothing here is medical advice or a recommendation for use.

What KPV is

KPV is the three-amino-acid sequence lysine–proline–valine (Lys-Pro-Val), corresponding to residues 11–13 of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), a 13-amino-acid endogenous peptide. In the published literature it is described as the minimal α-MSH fragment reported to retain the parent hormone’s anti-inflammatory signaling activity in laboratory models, without the pigmentation-associated effects linked to the hormone’s N-terminal melanotropic core. Its registered chemical data: molecular formula C16H30N4O4, molecular weight approximately 342.44 g/mol, CAS 67727-97-3, PubChem Compound ID 125672.

Why laboratories study KPV

Short, sequence-defined peptides are practical research tools: they are straightforward to synthesize at high purity and to characterize analytically. KPV has attracted sustained attention in inflammation research across gastrointestinal, dermatological, and cell-signaling contexts, and it appears in blend-research literature as a differentiating component of multi-peptide study formulations.

Reported mechanisms in the literature

NF-κB and MAP-kinase signaling: A 2008 study in Gastroenterology (Dalmasso et al.) reported that nanomolar KPV concentrations inhibited NF-κB and MAP-kinase signaling in human intestinal cell lines, with reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine output. The same group reported reduced inflammatory markers in DSS and TNBS mouse colitis models treated with KPV.

PepT1 transporter pathway: KPV is taken up by the H⁺-coupled oligopeptide transporter PepT1, which is upregulated in inflamed intestinal tissue. The literature describes this as a transporter-dependent, receptor-independent anti-inflammatory pathway — a point of distinction from the melanocortin-receptor signaling of full-length α-MSH.

Delivery-system research: More recent work has used KPV as a model compound in drug-delivery studies, including a KPV-binding double-network hydrogel investigated in a TNBS-induced colitis model, where hydrogel-associated KPV improved mucosal barrier recovery readouts in the animal model (PMID 35245681).

Analytical and handling context

As with all synthetic research peptides, identity and purity are established by reversed-phase HPLC (purity reported as main-peak area percent) and mass spectrometry (observed molecular weight compared against the theoretical mass). Lyophilized KPV is typically stored frozen and desiccated. Researchers should consult the lot-specific Certificate of Analysis for verified purity and identity data before designing experiments.

References

1. Dalmasso G, Charrier-Hisamuddin L, Nguyen HTT, Yan Y, Sitaraman S, Merlin D. PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation. Gastroenterology. 2008;134(1):166-178.

2. A KPV-binding double-network hydrogel restores gut mucosal barrier in an inflamed colon — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35245681/

3. KPV registry data: PubChem Compound ID 125672 (Lys-Pro-Val); CAS 67727-97-3.

All compounds discussed are for laboratory research use only. Not for human consumption. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.