Pure North Peptides Journal · Compendium
KPV: tripeptide α-MSH fragment for inflammation research
Published 2024-09-26 · Pure North Peptides Editorial · Canada
Short answer. KPV is the C-terminal tripeptide (Lys-Pro-Val) of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, residues 11–13. Investigated in published in-vitro anti-inflammatory pathway research. KPV is not currently stocked in the Pure North Peptides catalog — email us to ask about future availability, or browse the current catalog.
Origin: α-MSH
α-MSH is the 13-residue acetylated melanocortin peptide derived from POMC processing. The C-terminal tripeptide KPV retains a subset of α-MSH's immunomodulatory activity in published in-vitro assays — specifically NF-κB pathway suppression and pro-inflammatory cytokine reduction in macrophage models — without the melanocortin-receptor agonism that drives MC1R-mediated pigmentation effects.
Why the C-terminal-only fragment
Published research on inflammatory-pathway dissection has used KPV as a way to study α-MSH's anti-inflammatory action without the confounding melanocortin-receptor signaling. The N-terminal residues 1–10 contain the MC1R-binding pharmacophore; truncating to residues 11–13 removes that activity while retaining the NF-κB-relevant motif.
Quality criteria
- RP-HPLC purity ≥ 99%.
- ESI-MS at theoretical mass 342.43 Da ± 0.3 Da.
- Stereochemistry verification (all-L).
- Net peptide content ≥ 90% by AAA (short peptides typically hit higher).
Reconstitution
KPV is highly water-soluble. A 10 mg vial in 1.0 mL bacteriostatic water gives 10 mg/mL. Stable 28 days at 2–8 °C; longer as −80 °C aliquots.
Comparison: KPV vs LL-37
Both are short antimicrobial/immunomodulatory peptides, but they engage very different mechanism panels. LL-37 is a 37-residue cathelicidin with direct membrane disruption activity; KPV is a 3-residue α-MSH fragment with cytokine-pathway effects only. Don't substitute one for the other in mechanism studies.
KPV is not currently in the Pure North Peptides catalog. Email purenorthpeptides@proton.me if you would like to be notified should it be added, or browse the current catalog →
Frequently asked questions
What does KPV stand for?
It's the single-letter sequence: K (Lys), P (Pro), V (Val) — the C-terminal three residues of α-MSH.
Why use the fragment instead of full α-MSH?
Published inflammation research uses KPV to dissect anti-inflammatory NF-κB effects from melanocortin-receptor agonism. The full α-MSH does both at once.
Is KPV very small?
Yes — just 3 residues, 342.43 Da. Identity verification by both HPLC and MS is essential because chromatographic separation is limited at this size.
How is KPV stored?
Lyophilized, sealed. After reconstitution, 2–8 °C for 28 days.
Where to source KPV in Canada?
KPV is not currently stocked in the Pure North Peptides catalog. Email purenorthpeptides@proton.me to ask about future availability.
Disclaimer: All Pure North Peptides products are supplied for laboratory research use only. They are not approved by Health Canada as drugs. See our research-use declaration for full terms.