What is a tetrapeptide?
A tetrapeptide is a peptide composed of four amino-acid residues joined by peptide bonds. The catalog includes Epithalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly), a synthetic tetrapeptide originally derived from the pineal-gland peptide epithalamin.
What the research literature says
Tetrapeptides are slightly larger than tripeptides but still small enough to have characteristics of the lower-end peptide size range — short native half-lives, often-significant cellular permeability, broad protease substrate specificity. The Khavinson research program at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology developed Epithalon as a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, sometimes written AEDG) derived from the larger pineal-gland epithalamin complex.
The Khavinson lifespan-extension work characterised Epithalon’s effects in Drosophila melanogaster (PMID 11087911). The Anisimov colon-carcinogenesis work in rats (PMID 12049808) and the Kossoy spontaneous-carcinogenesis work in C3H/He mice (PMID 16634527) extended the framework into mammalian models. The Sibarov intranasal-administration work documented effects on neocortex neuron activity (PMID 17955380).
Like the tripeptides, tetrapeptide-class compounds often operate via mechanisms distinct from the receptor-engagement-driven signalling cascades that characterise larger peptide research compounds. The Epithalon literature centres on lifespan, carcinogenesis, and neural-activity research contexts rather than on receptor-pharmacology research.
Why this matters in research context
The tetrapeptide structural class matters in peptide-research contexts as the size class of Epithalon — the catalog’s primary tetrapeptide. Researchers should understand that Epithalon’s research framework derives primarily from a single research lineage (Khavinson-Anisimov groups) and that the cross-laboratory replication framework is more limited than for compounds with broader independent investigation.
Related compounds
- Epithalon 10mg — the catalog tetrapeptide
Related research questions
References
- Khavinson VK et al. Effect of epitalon on the lifespan increase in Drosophila melanogaster. Mech Ageing Dev 2000;120(1-3):141-149. [PMID 11087911]
- Anisimov VN et al. Inhibitory effect of peptide Epitalon on colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in rats. Cancer Lett 2002;183(1):1-8. [PMID 12049808]
- Sibarov DA et al. Effects of intranasal administration of epitalon on neuron activity in the rat neocortex. Neurosci Behav Physiol 2007;37(9):887-893. [PMID 17955380]
Research-questions pages describe research-context use of peptide-research terminology. They do not constitute medical, veterinary, or clinical advice. Every compound in the Ronin catalog is sold strictly for laboratory and research use only.