Free 24-hour delivery over £60 · Same-day despatchOrder before 2pm - same-day despatch · Free 24-hour delivery over £60
Research use only
All lyophilised (powdered) products and any related items sold by Kovalabs are strictly for scientific research purposes. No dosing guidelines are supplied with any product. We comply with all local regulations governing research-only sales within the United Kingdom. We are not a pharmacy and do not endorse, offer, or provide advice for human or animal consumption. International customers are responsible for checking their own local laws and regulations before purchasing.
You must be 18 or over and purchasing for scientific research only.
By clicking ‘I agree’ you confirm you have read and accepted the terms set out in this disclaimer.
Research use only
· 7 min read
Three amino acids and a missing pharmacophore: KPV is the rare peptide that is more interesting for what it lacks than for what it has. KPV (Lys-Pro-Val) is the C-terminal tripeptide of alpha-MSH, and the receptor mechanism that the primary literature has declined to settle. This is a research-context reference for its verified molecular identity, the signalling and transporter studies that have characterised it in vitro and in animal models, and bench handling guidance. KPV supplied by Kovalabs is for research use only - everything below describes what published studies have investigated, not any human use; for the full position see our research disclaimer.
| Compound | KPV (Lys-Pro-Val) |
|---|---|
| Synonyms / dev code | alpha-MSH(11-13); ACTH-(11-13); L-Lysyl-L-prolyl-L-valine |
| Class / pharmacology | alpha-MSH-derived tripeptide (C-terminal residues 11-13; reported to lack the MC-receptor binding motif) |
| Molecular formula | C16H30N4O4 |
| Molecular weight | 342.43 g/mol |
| CAS number | 67727-97-3 |
| PubChem CID | 125672 |
| InChIKey | YSPZCHGIWAQVKQ-AVGNSLFASA-N |
| Status | Research use only - not for human or veterinary use |
KPV is the tripeptide L-lysyl-L-prolyl-L-valine (Lys-Pro-Val), corresponding to the C-terminal residues 11 to 13 of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), itself a tridecapeptide derived from proopiomelanocortin. The compound is recorded under PubChem CID 125672 (depositor title "Msh (11-13)"), CAS 67727-97-3, with molecular formula C16H30N4O4, molecular weight 342.43 g/mol and InChIKey YSPZCHGIWAQVKQ-AVGNSLFASA-N. The synonym set includes "Lys-Pro-Val", "alpha-MSH(11-13)" and "ACTH-(11-13)".
Short peptides are prone to identifier confusion, so the cross-check here is worth stating explicitly. The PubChem IUPAC name for CID 125672 - (2S)-2-[[(2S)-1-[(2S)-2,6-diaminohexanoyl]pyrrolidine-2-carbonyl]amino]-3-methylbutanoic acid - decomposes cleanly into the expected backbone: 2,6-diaminohexanoyl is lysine, pyrrolidine-2-carbonyl is proline, and 3-methylbutanoic acid is valine. The nitrogen count is correct at N4 (lysine contributes two nitrogen atoms, proline one, valine one). An independent encyclopaedic source lists the identical set (C16H30N4O4, MW 342.44, CAS 67727-97-3, CID 125672), confirming that CID, CAS, formula and mass are mutually consistent. Two errors circulating in vendor databases are excluded here. A plain text search of PubChem for the literal string "KPV" surfaces CID 13294447, which is 2-oxo-5-phenylpentanoic acid (C11H12O3) - a structurally unrelated molecule, not used here. Several vendor pages also circulate the formula C16H29N3O4 (MW 327.42); that figure undercounts one nitrogen (N3 versus the correct N4) and is internally inconsistent with the verified peptide structure. You can find KPV on its product page; this reference provides the research context that a product listing cannot.
| Compound | Sequence / relation to alpha-MSH | Molecular pharmacology grouping | Reference identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| KPV | Lys-Pro-Val; C-terminal residues 11-13 of alpha-MSH | alpha-MSH-derived tripeptide; reported to lack the MC-receptor binding motif | PubChem CID 125672 |
| alpha-MSH (parent) | Tridecapeptide derived from proopiomelanocortin | Melanocortin-receptor ligand (contains the core His-Phe-Arg-Trp motif) | PMID 18612139 |
| KdPT | Derivative of KPV corresponding to IL-1beta(193-195) | alpha-MSH-related tripeptide; studied alongside KPV | PMID 18612139 |
| (CKPV)2 | Cys-Cys-linked dimer of two KPV sequences | KPV-dimer studied in endotoxin-response models | PMID 16413580 |
The most structurally unusual feature of KPV is what it is missing. Brzoska et al. (Adv Exp Med Biol, 2010; PMID 21222263, DOI) note in their review of alpha-MSH-related tripeptides that KPV lacks the core His-Phe-Arg-Trp sequence motif that the known melanocortin receptors (MC-Rs) require for high-affinity binding. That is not a minor detail: it means the compound is grouped by its derivation from alpha-MSH, not by shared receptor occupancy with the parent hormone, and the precise signalling route remains an open research question.
Elliott et al. (J Invest Dermatol, 2004; PMID 15102092, DOI) addressed the receptor question directly in HaCaT and normal human keratinocytes and in CHO cells stably transfected with MC-1R. The study measured intracellular cyclic AMP and intracellular calcium across a concentration range for alpha-MSH, KPV and KP-D-V. The authors reported no detectable cyclic-AMP elevation in keratinocytes to these peptides - framing the intracellular signalling route as unsettled rather than resolved. The absence of a result is itself a data point worth preserving.
A parallel line of investigation shifted focus from receptor binding to transporter-mediated uptake. Dalmasso et al. (Gastroenterology, 2008; PMID 18061177, DOI) examined KPV uptake via the H+-coupled oligopeptide transporter PepT1 in human intestinal epithelial cell lines (Caco2-BBE and HT29-Cl.19A) and in Jurkat T lymphocytes, using luciferase reporter, immunoblot, RT-PCR and ELISA readouts to characterise the NF-kappaB and MAPK signalling cascades downstream. The transporter-mediated route into epithelial cells is a mechanistically distinct observation from the receptor studies and one reason the compound draws interest from researchers working in epithelial-cell models. A review by Brzoska et al. (Endocr Rev, 2008; PMID 18612139, DOI) situates both alpha-MSH and KPV within the broader melanocortin-receptor and NF-kappaB signalling literature on antigen-presenting cells. These are receptor and pathway names from study designs; no result, effect size or human outcome is asserted.
No registered clinical trial for KPV was found on ClinicalTrials.gov, so none is cited. The studies below are in-vitro and animal-model work; the disease models named are the experimental systems researchers chose, not conditions this compound treats. Each entry names the system and the measured endpoints only - no result, efficacy or human outcome is asserted for any of them.
The following is general bench procedure for lyophilised research peptides, anchored to peer-reviewed handling guidance (PMID 26719571, DOI). This is framed for laboratory use only and is not a preparation method for any use in humans or animals.
Storage: keep the dry, lyophilised powder desiccated and frozen (commonly -20 degrees C, and -20 to -80 degrees C for long-term archival), protected from moisture. Allow a sealed vial to equilibrate to room temperature in a desiccator before opening, so condensation does not settle onto the hygroscopic solid and bias gravimetric and concentration measurements.
Reconstitution as a bench procedure: add appropriate laboratory solvent slowly down the inner wall of the vial and swirl gently rather than shaking or vortexing, to avoid mechanical and foaming stress. Use the reconstituted solution within a defined working window for analysis and keep it refrigerated (2 to 8 degrees C) during that window.
A compound-specific note worth flagging: Sun et al. (ACS Biomater Sci Eng, 2021; PMID 34547895, DOI) report that aqueous KPV solution is unstable - the observation that motivated the stabilised carrier formulations developed in that work. The practical bench implication is to prepare KPV solutions fresh, minimise time at room temperature, and keep them cold and protected. Our reconstitution guide covers the general method in more detail.
Purity and certificate of analysis: peptide identifiers are easy to get wrong on paper, and a vial that says one thing is not the same as a vial that is one thing. For a tripeptide, identity and quality are established analytically by reversed-phase HPLC for purity and mass spectrometry for identity; a correct mass match combined with high HPLC purity is the standard evidence that the intended peptide is present (PMID 26719571). A batch-specific Certificate of Analysis should document the actual lot tested rather than a generic specification; current documents are available on our Certificates of Analysis page.
Kovalabs groups related compounds by the molecular pharmacology their published studies examine. Adjacent research-peptide reagents are listed for research context only; co-listing implies no combined use, protocol or outcome. A frequently co-referenced compound is BPC-157, a separate research peptide with its own identity and mechanism reference.
Tier one is solid: the chemistry. KPV is unambiguously L-lysyl-L-prolyl-L-valine, the C-terminal tripeptide of alpha-MSH, and its public-database identifiers, molecular formula and N4 nitrogen count cross-check and are mutually consistent. Tier two is the middle ground: in-vitro and animal mechanism work has characterised melanocortin-system signalling, NF-kappaB and MAPK cascades and PepT1 transporter uptake, but a cell in a dish is not a person, and even the receptor route reads as contested rather than settled. Tier three is the weakest: there is no registered clinical trial on ClinicalTrials.gov, so the human evidence is effectively absent. It is not a licensed medicine, and it has not been shown to produce defined outcomes in humans. Curiosity is warranted; certainty is not.
KPV supplied by Kovalabs is sold strictly as a research chemical for in-vitro and laboratory use by qualified researchers. It is not a medicine, supplement, cosmetic or food, and it is not for human or veterinary use, administration or consumption. Nothing on this page is medical, dosing or administration guidance, and no therapeutic, clinical or performance benefit is stated or implied. Under MHRA Guidance Note 8, a benefit claim would reclassify a research chemical as an unlicensed medicine; we make no such claim. Full terms are set out in our research disclaimer.
KPV is the tripeptide L-lysyl-L-prolyl-L-valine (Lys-Pro-Val), corresponding to the C-terminal residues 11 to 13 of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH); see the identifiers table above for its CID, CAS, formula and mass. It is a research chemical, not a medicine.
Published research has characterised KPV within melanocortin-system signalling, the NF-kappaB and MAPK cascades, and uptake via the PepT1 oligopeptide transporter, using in-vitro cell lines and animal models (for example PMID 18061177 and PMID 15102092). These are pathway and endpoint names from study designs; no effect or human outcome is asserted.
This is an open research question. Review literature notes that KPV lacks the core His-Phe-Arg-Trp motif required for high-affinity binding to the known melanocortin receptors (PMID 21222263), and a keratinocyte study reported no detectable cyclic-AMP elevation to these peptides (PMID 15102092). Some sources describe transporter-mediated routes instead. The mechanism is presented as contested, not settled.
General peptide practice is to store the lyophilised powder desiccated and frozen, equilibrate the vial to room temperature before opening, and reconstitute by adding appropriate laboratory solvent gently down the vial wall (PMID 26719571). A primary study reports aqueous KPV solution is unstable (PMID 34547895), so prepare solutions fresh and keep them cold. See our reconstitution guide for the general method. This is bench procedure only, not an administration instruction.
For a tripeptide, identity is confirmed by mass spectrometry and purity by reversed-phase HPLC; a correct mass match with high HPLC purity is the standard evidence (PMID 26719571). Each batch should carry a lot-specific Certificate of Analysis, available on the Kovalabs Certificates of Analysis page.
No. KPV is supplied for research use only and is not for human or veterinary use, administration or consumption. No medicinal, therapeutic or performance benefit is stated or implied, consistent with MHRA Guidance Note 8. See the research disclaimer for full terms.