Short peptide bioregulators: an overview for researchers
“Peptide bioregulators” is the name given to a family of very short synthetic peptides, two to four amino acids long, developed by V. Kh. Khavinson and colleagues in Russia. Each is identified by a short sequence and a trade-style name. This guide collects their chemical data and outlines the research models in which they have been studied.
Origin and history
The work began in the 1970s at the Military Medical Academy in Leningrad, where Khavinson and V. G. Morozov prepared polypeptide extracts from animal tissues such as thymus, pineal gland and cerebral cortex. In later decades the group designed short synthetic peptides modeled on the amino acid composition of those extracts. From 1992 the work was centered at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, which Khavinson directed. Epitalon (AEDG) is the best known member of the family; see our Epitalon guide.
Sequences and molecular weights
Molecular weights below are average masses for the free peptides, calculated from the sequences (free N-terminus, free C-terminal acid).
| Name | Sequence | Length | Formula | MW (g/mol) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vilon | Lys-Glu (KE) | 2 | C11H21N3O5 | โ 275.3 |
| Vesugen | Lys-Glu-Asp (KED) | 3 | C15H26N4O8 | โ 390.4 |
| Pinealon | Glu-Asp-Arg (EDR) | 3 | C15H26N6O8 | โ 418.4 |
| Cartalax | Ala-Glu-Asp (AED) | 3 | C12H19N3O8 | โ 333.3 |
| Crystagen | Glu-Asp-Pro (EDP) | 3 | C14H21N3O8 | โ 359.3 |
| Ovagen | Glu-Asp-Leu (EDL) | 3 | C15H25N3O8 | โ 375.4 |
| Pancragen | Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp (KEDW) | 4 | C26H36N6O9 | โ 576.6 |
| Testagen | Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly (KEDG) | 4 | C17H29N5O9 | โ 447.4 |
| Cardiogen | Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR) | 4 | C18H31N7O9 | โ 489.5 |
Note that Vesugen (KED) and Epitalon (AEDG) differ in sequence but have almost the same average mass (about 390.4 vs 390.3 g/mol). Their monoisotopic masses (390.175 vs 390.139) and their retention times on HPLC still separate them, which is one reason a full certificate of analysis matters for this family.
Research models
- Cell culture. Many papers use primary cell cultures and stem cells, measuring markers of differentiation, proliferation and senescence.
- Aged animals. The group has worked extensively with aged rodents, and the tetrapeptide Pancragen (KEDW) was studied in aged monkeys with measures of endocrine pancreas function (Khavinson et al., Adv Gerontol, 2013).
- Chromatin and gene expression. A central hypothesis of the group is that short peptides can interact with DNA and histone proteins. Studies use circular dichroism, spectroscopy, fluorescence quenching with labelled histones, and molecular docking, alongside mRNA expression measurements. These are summarized in a systematic review by Khavinson, Popovich, Linkova, Mironova and Ilina (Molecules, 2021).
- Pinealon (EDR). Examined in neuronal cell culture and mouse models of neurodegeneration, with molecular modeling of its binding to DNA and histones (Khavinson et al., Molecules, 2021).
Reading the literature carefully
Most published work on these peptides comes from one research group and its collaborators, and much of it appears in Russian-language or regional journals. Independent replication is limited. That does not make the data unusable, but it is worth weighing when designing or comparing experiments.
Verifying a lot
Peptides this short are simple to characterize. A mass spectrum should show a dominant [M+H]+ ion about 1 unit above the monoisotopic mass, and HPLC should show one main peak. Because several bioregulators share the Glu-Asp core, check both panels rather than mass alone. See how mass spectrometry confirms identity and HPLC purity: what the percentage means.
All LA Peptides products are supplied for laboratory research use only and are not for human or veterinary use.
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- How to read a certificate of analysis (COA)
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For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. This guide summarizes published scientific literature for context. It is not medical advice and does not describe any product as suitable for human use.