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The last three residues of α-MSH, carried into cells by the PepT1 transporter — a real mechanism, with no human data yet.
Also known as: Lys-Pro-Val · alpha-MSH fragment
Part of the Repair & recovery peptides cluster
Overview
KPV is the tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val, the C-terminal fragment of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. At nanomolar concentrations it inhibits NF-κB and MAPK inflammatory signalling in cells, and oral KPV reduced chemically induced colitis in mice through the PepT1 transporter (Dalmasso et al., Gastroenterology 2008). It has no human trials and is not an approved medicine.
Source & context
Biological / chemical source: Synthetic tripeptide
Primary research or clinical context: Research compound with rodent and cell-culture anti-inflammatory data; no human trials; not approved anywhere
What KPV is
KPV is the tripeptide lysine–proline–valine, the three C-terminal residues (11–13) of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a 13-residue hormone with well-established anti-inflammatory signalling. The fragment retains anti-inflammatory activity in experimental systems while lacking the pigmentation and appetite effects of the full hormone. It has no IUPHAR ligand record, no registered clinical trial, and its literature — around 66 PubMed hits, many of them about drug-delivery systems that use KPV as a payload — is entirely preclinical. It is the “K” in the grey-market blend KLOW, which is why it is searched far more than its evidence would predict.
Mechanism: NF-κB, MAPK and the PepT1 transporter
The defining study tested KPV in human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco2-BBE, HT29-Cl.19A) and Jurkat T cells stimulated with pro-inflammatory cytokines. Nanomolar KPV inhibited activation of NF-κB and MAP-kinase signalling and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. Uptake competition and radiolabel experiments showed KPV enters cells through PepT1, the di/tripeptide transporter normally expressed in the small intestine and induced in the colon during inflammatory bowel disease (Dalmasso et al., Gastroenterology 2008). That is a notable finding: the anti-inflammatory effect depends on a transporter rather than on the melanocortin receptor that α-MSH itself uses.
Animal evidence
In the same 2008 study, KPV added to drinking water reduced inflammation in two mouse colitis models (dextran sulfate sodium and TNBS), assessed histologically and by pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA (Dalmasso et al., 2008). Later work has used KPV as a payload in engineered delivery systems: a KPV-binding double-network hydrogel restored the gut mucosal barrier in an inflamed mouse colon (Zhao et al., Acta Biomaterialia 2022); KPV self-assembled with rapamycin into carrier-free nanodrugs for vascular calcification (Zhang et al., Advanced Healthcare Materials 2024); and inflammation-triggered conjugates were designed to deliver peptides orally (Cheng et al., Science Advances 2026). In keratinocytes, KPV mitigated fine-dust-induced apoptosis and inflammation through oxidative-stress and MAPK/NF-κB pathways (Sung et al., Tissue and Cell 2025).
| Setting | Finding | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Human cells (culture) | Nanomolar KPV inhibits NF-κB and MAPK; uptake via PepT1 | Dalmasso et al., 2008 |
| Mouse colitis (DSS, TNBS) | Oral KPV reduced histological inflammation and cytokine mRNA | Dalmasso et al., 2008 |
| Mouse colitis + hydrogel | KPV-binding hydrogel restored mucosal barrier | Zhao et al., 2022 |
| Human skin ex vivo | No passive permeation; microneedles/iontophoresis required | Pawar et al., 2017 |
| Human trials | None | — |
Delivery: why route matters for a tripeptide
KPV's mechanism runs through a gut transporter, and the mouse efficacy data are oral. Through skin, by contrast, KPV permeation across dermatomed human skin was below the detection limit by passive diffusion and required microneedles or iontophoresis to reach measurable flux (Pawar et al., Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2017). The grey market sells KPV chiefly for subcutaneous injection, a route with no efficacy data at all in the literature reviewed, and one that bypasses the intestinal PepT1 biology the evidence rests on.
Pharmacokinetics
No human pharmacokinetic study of KPV has been published. Its cellular kinetics via PepT1 were characterised in vitro (Dalmasso et al., 2008), and its skin flux under enhancement was measured ex vivo (Pawar et al., 2017), but systemic half-life, distribution and metabolism in humans are unknown. A free tripeptide is expected to be short-lived in plasma.
Regulatory status as of September 2026
KPV is not an approved medicine in any jurisdiction and no clinical trial is registered. It appears in the sports-medicine literature among unapproved peptides in the grey market (Coutinho et al., Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2026). Vials sold as KPV, alone or in the KLOW blend, are unlicensed and of unverified content.
KPV vs BPC-157, and the KLOW blend
KPV and BPC-157 are both sold for “gut healing”, but their evidence differs in kind: KPV has a characterised molecular mechanism (PepT1 uptake, NF-κB/MAPK inhibition) in human cells and oral mouse colitis data from an academic gastroenterology group; BPC-157 has a large rodent injury literature largely from one laboratory. Neither has human efficacy data. KLOW combines KPV with GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500 in one vial; no study has tested any two of them together, and the KLOW guide explains why a four-way mix is a different question from any of its parts.
Reading the claims responsibly
KPV is one of the more scientifically interesting short peptides on this site precisely because its mechanism is specific and its key paper is in a leading journal. That does not translate into a human treatment: the route people use is not the route studied, and no safety data exist. This profile is educational; it is not guidance on obtaining or using any product and it is not medical advice.
Sequence
One-letter sequence commonly cited for KPV (educational; isoforms and modifications may differ):
KPV
Residues plotted ~100° apart around an α-helix — clustering of one color reveals an amphipathic face.
Structure & chemistry
Molecular identity & reference confidence
Source-supported reference
Reference values are taken from the cited molecular record or curated profile. A database match is not independent laboratory verification; modifications, counter-ions, and formulations can change the measured mass.
- Molecular form
- Linear tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val (KPV) = α-MSH residues 11–13; free termini
- Species
- Not established by this molecular identity audit
- Termini (N / C)
- Not specified / Not specified
Average reference mass
Reference policy updated: 2026-10-05
- PubChem molecular record · 2026-10-01
- Molecular formula
- C16H30N4O4
- Average reference mass
- ≈ 342.43
- Receptors
- Anti-inflammatory action in cells is PepT1-transporter-dependent rather than via the classical melanocortin receptor (Dalmasso et al., 2008)
- Backbone
- Linear tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val (KPV) = α-MSH residues 11–13; free termini
- Status
- Not approved anywhere; no human trials registered (snapshot September 2026)
- PubChem CID: 125672
- CAS RN: 67727-97-3
- UNII: 7V6LGD8S5R
Chemistry values: curated profile, PubChem · fetched 2026-10-01.
KPV — reconstitution calculator
Enter how much peptide is in the vial and how much diluent (e.g. bacteriostatic water) is added. The tool returns the resulting solution concentration — and, for any amount you type, the volume it corresponds to. This is educational arithmetic, not a dosing recommendation.
Reference form: Linear tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val (KPV) = α-MSH residues 11–13; free terminiAverage reference mass: 342.43 Da
Enter an amount to see the volume it corresponds to.
Educational concentration mathematics only. This tool does not recommend a dose, amount, or protocol, and nothing here is medical advice. Many peptides are not authorized by Health Canada for human use — see our reconstitution and bacteriostatic-water guides for context.
Change log
Dated observations from the data pipeline (registry flags, trial footprints, identifiers) and editorial reviews of this profile.
- ChemistryPubChem formula updated to C16H30N4O4.
- EditorialProfile content reviewed and updated by the editorial team.
FAQ about KPV
What is KPV?+
KPV is the tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val, the C-terminal fragment of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. At nanomolar concentrations it inhibits NF-κB and MAPK inflammatory signalling in cells, and oral KPV reduced chemically induced colitis in mice through the PepT1 transporter (Dalmasso et al., Gastroenterology 2008). It has no human trials and is not an approved medicine.
What Canadian product status is recorded for KPV?+
Canadian product status for KPV has not been verified in this profile. No verified record here does not mean no authorization exists. Status depends on the product, formulation and use; consult Health Canada's product records.
What is the typical length of KPV?+
KPV is commonly described as approximately 3 amino acids (Research peptide).
What is the KPV peptide?+
The tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val, the C-terminal fragment of α-MSH. In cells it inhibits NF-κB and MAPK inflammatory signalling at nanomolar concentrations, and oral KPV reduced colitis in mice.
How does KPV work?+
It enters immune and intestinal epithelial cells through the PepT1 di/tripeptide transporter and suppresses NF-κB and MAP-kinase signalling, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines (Dalmasso et al., 2008).
Is there human evidence for KPV?+
No. There are no clinical trials, registered or published. The evidence is cell culture, mouse colitis models and ex-vivo human skin delivery studies.
Is KPV approved?+
No, in no jurisdiction.
Does KPV absorb through the skin?+
Not passively: permeation across human skin was undetectable without microneedles or iontophoresis (Pawar et al., 2017).
What is KLOW?+
A grey-market blend of KPV, GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500 in one vial. No study has tested the combination.
Further reading
- Blends explainedWhat Is the “KLOW” Peptide? KPV + GHK-Cu + BPC-157 + TB-500, Component by Component“KLOW peptide” is a four-peptide vendor blend: KPV, GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500. This guide explains what each is, what has been studied in humans (very little beyond topical GHK-Cu), why a four-way mix is untested, and where it stands legally.
- Blends explainedWhat Is the “GLOW” Peptide? GHK-Cu + BPC-157 + TB-500, Explained From the Evidence“GLOW peptide” is a vendor blend name for GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500 in one vial. This guide explains each component, the linked cellular and animal evidence, the gaps for a three-way injectable blend, and product-specific authorization.
- FoundationsWhat Are Research Peptides? A Clear Educational GuideLearn what “research peptides” means, how they differ from approved peptide drugs, quality markers (COA, purity), and how to study them responsibly.
- SafetyPeptide Safety and Risks: A Balanced Educational OverviewAn objective, balanced overview of what research does and does not establish about peptide risks—unknowns, purity and contamination concerns, and why unapproved compounds carry uncertainty. Not reassurance and not medical advice.
Related peptides
References & further reading
- 1.Dalmasso et al. (2008). PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation. Gastroenterology
- 2.Pawar et al. (2017). Transdermal Iontophoretic Delivery of Lysine-Proline-Valine (KPV) Peptide Across Microporated Human Skin. J Pharm Sci
- 3.Sun et al. (2021). Self-Cross-Linked Hydrogel of Cysteamine-Grafted γ-Polyglutamic Acid Stabilized Tripeptide KPV for Alleviating TNBS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Rats. ACS Biomater Sci Eng
- 4.Getting et al. (2003). Dissection of the anti-inflammatory effect of the core and C-terminal (KPV) alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone peptides. J Pharmacol Exp Ther
- 5.Xiao et al. (2017). Orally Targeted Delivery of Tripeptide KPV via Hyaluronic Acid-Functionalized Nanoparticles Efficiently Alleviates Ulcerative Colitis. Mol Ther
- 6.Kannengiesser et al. (2008). Melanocortin-derived tripeptide KPV has anti-inflammatory potential in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis
- 7.Shao et al. (2021). In situ mucoadhesive hydrogel capturing tripeptide KPV: the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and repairing effect on chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis. Biomater Sci
- 8.Songok et al. (2018). Structural modification of the tripeptide KPV by reductive "glycoalkylation" of the lysine residue. PLoS One
- 9.Zhao et al. (2022). A KPV-binding double-network hydrogel restores gut mucosal barrier in an inflamed colon. Acta Biomaterialia
- 10.Sung et al. (2025). Lysine-proline-valine peptide mitigates fine dust-induced keratinocyte apoptosis and inflammation by regulating oxidative stress and modulating the MAPK/NF-κB pathway. Tissue and Cell
- 11.Zhang et al. (2024). KPV and RAPA self-assembled into carrier-free nanodrugs for vascular calcification therapy. Advanced Healthcare Materials
- 12.Cheng et al. (2026). Inflammation-triggered self-immolative conjugates enable oral peptide delivery by overcoming gastrointestinal barriers. Science Advances
- 13.Coutinho et al. (2026). A new era of doping? Use of peptide and peptide-analog drugs in recreational and professional sport and bodybuilding: a critical review. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
- 14.PubChem — Lys-Pro-Val (α-MSH 11-13), CID 125672