Explore BioBoost LabsKPV
A tripeptide corresponding to the C-terminal three residues of the hormone alpha-MSH.
What the name means
“KPV” is simply the one-letter amino-acid code for the peptide’s three residues: lysine (K), proline (P) and valine (V).
Unlike many peptide labels, there is no number or brand element here; the name is the sequence itself.
What it actually is
KPV is a short linear tripeptide that matches the last three amino acids at the C-terminus of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), a 13-residue peptide hormone.
The sequence is Lys-Pro-Val. Because it is a defined tripeptide, its identity is straightforward to confirm analytically.
Where it came from
KPV traces to research on α-MSH, a melanocortin hormone long known for roles in pigmentation and, later, in modulating inflammation.
Investigators studying which part of α-MSH carried its anti-inflammatory activity focused attention on the C-terminal tripeptide, which is how KPV became a molecule of interest in its own right.
Why it was created — the thought process
The design logic is fragment-based: rather than use the whole hormone, researchers asked whether a minimal C-terminal piece could reproduce part of α-MSH’s reported anti-inflammatory behavior without engaging its pigment-related receptor activity.
A three-residue peptide is far simpler and cheaper to make than the full hormone, so KPV served as a compact tool for probing that structure-activity question.
How it is made
KPV is prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis, building the Lys-Pro-Val chain stepwise on a resin.
After cleavage from the resin it is purified by HPLC and its mass and sequence checked by mass spectrometry. Its short length makes synthesis and purification comparatively simple.
What the research actually shows — honestly
KPV has been examined mainly in cell and animal models of inflammation, where fragments of α-MSH have shown activity in some experimental settings.
Human clinical evidence is limited, and the effects it is popularly associated with are not established in people. KPV is supplied strictly for research use only (RUO) and is not an approved drug for human or veterinary use.
Selected research & sources
The items below are drawn from the peer-reviewed literature (PubMed) and describe results observed in research models or reported in the clinical literature. They are listed so the evidence can be examined at its source — not to suggest any use.
- Sun J, et al. ACS Biomater Sci Eng. 2021. “Self-Cross-Linked Hydrogel of Cysteamine-Grafted γ-Polyglutamic Acid Stabilized Tripeptide KPV for Alleviating TNBS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Rats.” doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00792
- Xiao B, et al. Mol Ther. 2017. “Orally Targeted Delivery of Tripeptide KPV via Hyaluronic Acid-Functionalized Nanoparticles Efficiently Alleviates Ulcerative Colitis.” doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2016.11.020
- Kannengiesser K, et al. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2008. “Melanocortin-derived tripeptide KPV has anti-inflammatory potential in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease.” doi.org/10.1002/ibd.20334
Regulatory status: Not FDA-approved. Research material, RUO.
◆ A reference, not a recommendation
This page explains what KPV is and where it came from — the science and the story — not who should use anything, or how. These are research materials for laboratory research only; nothing here is medical, dosing, or treatment advice.
Research-use-only educational content. Factual overview; claims of clinical benefit are not implied.