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The smallest of the Khavinson bioregulators — two amino acids — with a rodent and cell-culture literature almost entirely from its originating institute.
Also known as: Lys-Glu · KE dipeptide · AB-0 · lysyl-glutamic acid
Part of the Foundational & therapeutic peptides cluster
Overview
Vilon is the synthetic dipeptide Lys-Glu (KE), one of the short “peptide bioregulators” developed by Vladimir Khavinson's institute in St Petersburg. Rodent and cell-culture studies from that group report immunomodulating effects on thymocytes, chromatin decondensation in lymphocytes from elderly donors, improved intestinal enzyme activity in aged rats and a longer lifespan in female CBA mice. No human trial is registered and it is not approved anywhere.
Source & context
Biological / chemical source: Synthetic dipeptide designed at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology from a thymic peptide preparation
Primary research or clinical context: Research compound, not approved anywhere; no registered clinical trials
What vilon is
Vilon is the dipeptide lysyl-glutamic acid, written Lys-Glu or KE. It belongs to the family of very short synthetic peptides — epithalon, cortagen, livagen, prostamax — produced by the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, where each was designed from the amino-acid composition of a tissue extract; vilon's parent preparation was thymic (Khavinson, Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 2001). In some papers it appears under the code AB-0. PubChem records it as compound 7010502 with CAS number 45234-02-4.
Immune effects in cell culture
Most of vilon's literature is in vitro. In mouse thymocytes it produced the most potent co-mitogenic effect among the three peptides tested, modulated the co-mitogenic activity of interleukin-1β, and stimulated sphingomyelinase activity in thymocyte membranes more strongly than epithalon or cortagen (Khavinson et al., Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 2002). In cultured human and rat thymic cells the dipeptide, coded AB-0, increased expression of the differentiation marker CD5 and pushed precursor cells toward CD4+ helper T cells, although its effect was weaker than that of a related dipeptide (Sevostianova et al., Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 2013).
Chromatin effects in cells from elderly donors
In cultured lymphocytes from people aged 75 to 88, vilon induced decondensation of total heterochromatin, reactivated ribosomal genes through decondensation of nucleolus organiser regions, and released genes repressed by facultative heterochromatin — but, unlike epithalon and livagen, did not decondense pericentromeric structural heterochromatin (Lezhava et al., Biogerontology 2004; Lezhava et al., Georgian Medical News 2006). The authors interpret this as reactivation of age-condensed chromatin. These are observations in cultured cells, not outcomes in people.
Rodent studies
In female CBA mice given vilon subcutaneously from the sixth month of life, the originating group reported increased physical activity and endurance, lower body temperature, a longer lifespan and prevention of spontaneous neoplasms, with no effect on oestrous function or free-radical processes and no adverse effects on development (Khavinson et al., Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 2000). Oral vilon for one month raised the activity of membrane enzymes maltase and alkaline phosphatase in the small intestine of aged Wistar rats and improved glucose accumulation in inverted-sac preparations (Khavinson et al., Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 2002, two papers). In mice with transplanted Lewis lung carcinoma, vilon at 1 mg/kg increased survival, but given together with cyclophosphamide it decreased it (Barykina et al., Advances in Gerontology 2003). A microarray study of mouse heart found vilon altered expression of 36 of 15,247 clones (Anisimov et al., Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine 2002).
| Model | Route | Reported effect | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female CBA mice, from 6 months of age | Subcutaneous | Longer lifespan, more activity, fewer spontaneous neoplasms | Khavinson et al. 2000 |
| Aged Wistar rats, 1 month | Oral | Higher maltase and alkaline phosphatase activity in small intestine | Khavinson et al. 2002 |
| Mice with Lewis lung carcinoma | Injection, 1 mg/kg | Increased survival alone; decreased survival with cyclophosphamide | Barykina et al. 2003 |
| Mouse heart transcriptome | — | 36 of 15,247 clones changed >2-fold | Anisimov et al. 2002 |
How to read this literature
Almost every paper on vilon comes from the institute that designed it or from collaborators, is published in a small number of Russian and Georgian journals, and reports in vitro or rodent endpoints. No independent replication is indexed, no pharmacokinetic study describes what happens to a dipeptide after injection or ingestion — dipeptides are typically hydrolysed quickly — and no human trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The finding that vilon reduced survival when combined with cyclophosphamide in a tumour model is a reminder that “immunomodulating” is not a synonym for benign.
Status and relation to other profiles
Vilon is not approved as a medicine anywhere; products sold under the name are unregulated research chemicals. Its closest relatives on this site are epithalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly), pinealon and thymalin, all from the same design programme. This profile is educational and is not guidance on obtaining or using any product.
Sequence
One-letter sequence commonly cited for Vilon (educational; isoforms and modifications may differ):
KE
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
- L-lysyl-L-glutamic acid, a linear dipeptide
- 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
- C11H21N3O5
- Average reference mass
- ≈ 275.3
- Backbone
- L-lysyl-L-glutamic acid, a linear dipeptide
- Status
- Research compound; not approved anywhere and no registered clinical trial (September 2026)
- PubChem CID: 7010502
- CAS RN: 45234-02-4
- UNII: H34V7IM5ML
Chemistry values: curated profile, PubChem · fetched 2026-10-01.
Vilon — 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: L-lysyl-L-glutamic acid, a linear dipeptideAverage reference mass: 275.3 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.
- IdentifiersCross-linked to PubChem CID 7010502.
- EditorialProfile content reviewed and updated by the editorial team.
FAQ about Vilon
What is Vilon?+
Vilon is the synthetic dipeptide Lys-Glu (KE), one of the short “peptide bioregulators” developed by Vladimir Khavinson's institute in St Petersburg. Rodent and cell-culture studies from that group report immunomodulating effects on thymocytes, chromatin decondensation in lymphocytes from elderly donors, improved intestinal enzyme activity in aged rats and a longer lifespan in female CBA mice. No human trial is registered and it is not approved anywhere.
What Canadian product status is recorded for Vilon?+
Canadian product status for Vilon 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 Vilon?+
Vilon is commonly described as approximately 2 amino acids (Synthetic dipeptide (Khavinson bioregulator)).
What is vilon?+
The synthetic dipeptide Lys-Glu, one of the Khavinson peptide bioregulators, studied in rodents and cell culture for immune and “geroprotective” effects.
Is vilon approved?+
No. It is not approved anywhere and has no registered clinical trial.
What did the mouse study show?+
In female CBA mice treated from six months of age, the originating group reported a longer lifespan, more activity and fewer spontaneous tumours; there is no independent replication.
How does vilon differ from epithalon?+
Vilon is a dipeptide from a thymic preparation; epithalon is a tetrapeptide from a pineal one. In lymphocyte studies epithalon also decondensed pericentromeric heterochromatin, which vilon did not.
Is there any human evidence for vilon?+
Only in vitro work on cells taken from elderly donors. No clinical trial exists.
Further reading
- 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.
- FoundationsPeptides for Beginners: A Clear Educational FoundationA beginner-friendly primer on what peptides are, how they differ from proteins and SARMs, approved medicines vs research materials, and how to learn responsibly.
Related peptides
References & further reading
- 1.Khavinson VK et al. (2000). Effect of vilon on biological age and lifespan in mice. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
- 2.Khavinson VKh et al. (2002). Effects of short peptides on thymocyte blast transformation and signal transduction along the sphingomyelin pathway. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
- 3.Lezhava T et al. (2004). Bioregulator Vilon-induced reactivation of chromatin in cultured lymphocytes from old people. Biogerontology
- 4.Khavinson VKh et al. (2002). Effect of vilon and epithalon on activity of enzymes in epithelial and subepithelial layers in small intestine of old rats. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
- 5.Barykina OP et al. (2003). Combined effect of vilon and cyclophosphane on tumor transplants and lymphoid tissue explants in mice and rats of various age. Advances in Gerontology
- 6.Sevostianova NN et al. (2013). Immunomodulating effects of Vilon and its analogue in the culture of human and animal thymus cells. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
- 7.Anisimov SV et al. (2002). Studies of the effects of Vilon and Epithalon on gene expression in mouse heart using DNA-microarray technology. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
- 8.PubChem — Vilon (CID 7010502)