Peptides have been discussed among scientists for quite some time, but 2023 is a watershed year in which peptides have entered the public discourse. The scientific community is now more educated on peptides' potential impact and viability in certain avenues of research, including cancer studies, weight investigations, and reproductive research. This peptide handbook discusses recent developments in the field and provides an overview of the many peptide classes that will likely interest researchers in 2023.
Peptides—What are they?
Peptides are essentially condensed forms of proteins, which consist of amino acid chains linked together in a specific sequence. They exist naturally may now be manufactured in large quantities in labs owing to scientific breakthroughs. Many intracellular signaling pathways have been suggested to rely on peptides. Research suggests they may support numerous physiological functions which control appetite, sleep, sexual arousal, cognitive function, and recovery.
Peptide research has been heavily emphasized in studies involving weight research and, more specifically, targeted fat burning. Scientists have speculated that peptides may play a role in regulating energy balance and that even a slight change in the levels of endogenous peptide production may significantly affect whether an organism stores or burns fat. Investigations purport that certain peptides under development may use pre-existing energy balance pathways to encourage fat cell eliminiation, while others may impact this same function via a more roundabout approach.
Adipotide Peptide
It has been hypothesized that Adipotide may selectively block the vascular supply to adipocytes (fat cells) while leaving the vascular supply unaffected. Findings imply that Adipotide may decrease hunger and simplify maintaining composition as it is theorized to block the production of hormones by adipocytes, inducing hunger hormone signalling.
AOD-9604 Peptide
Researchers speculate that AOD 9604 may be another peptide with potential in weight research. Still, instead of focusing on the blood supply to adipocytes, it has been hypothesized to stimulate particular arms of the growth hormone axis. Rat studies suggested that daily introduction may have resulted in a 50% weight reduction within the study’s 30 day duration.
Tesamorelin Peptide
Research into HIV-related lipodystrophy has lately turned its attention to the peptide Tesamorelin, a compound structurally related to Sermorelin. The peptide has been suggested to enhance triglyceride levels and decrease obesity by up to 20% as noted in study findings.
Arousal
Studies have suggested that the melanocortin system may be key in regulating arousal signalling in the brain. It has been purported that the melanocortin system may target peptides such as Melanotan 1, Melanotan 2, and PT-141. These have been proposed to exhibit impact in physiological functions that support reproduction and arousal, circadian systems, skin pigmentation, and addiction-forming brain signals. These peptides have been produced with the hopes of acting as diagnostic test agents for various illnesses, including erectile dysfunction, female hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and photosensitivity.
Organism Growth
Research peptides have been also been intensively studied within the context of growth hormone synthesis, hypothetically inducing the activation of the growth hormone axis by various potential means. The result is speculated to be a decrease in fat storage retention and and increase in lean muscle and bone development.
CJC-1295 Peptide
CJC-1295 is a manufactured hormone analog that has been speculated to stimulate endogenous growth hormone production. Scientists speculate that the release of growth hormone (GH) may be increased by a factor of 10 when animal research models are exposed to CJC-1295. Findings imply that rather than the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor, the ghrelin receptor may be targeted by other peptides GHRP-2 and GHRP-6, which research suggests may potentially similarly stimulate GH levels. These peptides have been suggested to impact sleep patterns, immunity, appetite, and muscle structure. Ipamorelin has been purported to have the same selectivity as GHRP-2 and GHRP-6. In addition to its other lauded qualities, its potential impact on bone health may be particularly noteworthy.
Follistatin Peptide
Follistatin, a manufactured analog of naturally occurring Follistatin, has been speculated to potentially inhibit the activity of myostatin. Animals without myostatin exhibited double the muscle mass of those within normal levels, supporting the hypothesis that this protein may catalyze muscle protein breakdown. Follistatin presentation for 8 weeks appeared to have improved muscle growth by 10% in animal research models.
Age-Related Decline
Peptides have shed light on the fact that aging is a biological process that may be influenced by manipulating signaling cascades. Studies suggest that peptides may potentially influence these cascades, and their study in murine models has suggested potential impacts within the organism that may possibly delay or reverse certain age-related physiological decline brought about by natural hormone production tapering off.
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References
[i] J. L. Lau and M. K. Dunn, “Therapeutic peptides: Historical perspectives, current development trends, and future directions,” Bioorg. Med. Chem., vol. 26, no. 10, pp. 2700–2707, Jun. 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.06.052.
[ii] Ng FM, Sun J, Sharma L, Libinaka R, Jiang WJ, Gianello R. Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone. Horm Res. 2000;53(6):274-8. doi: 10.1159/000053183. PMID: 11146367.
[iii] Spooner LM, Olin JL. Tesamorelin: a growth hormone-releasing factor analogue for HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Ann Pharmacother. 2012 Feb;46(2):240-7. doi: 10.1345/aph.1Q629. Epub 2012 Jan 31. PMID: 22298602.
[iv] Dreyer BA, Amer T, Fraser M. Melanotan-induced priapism: a hard-earned tan. BMJ Case Rep. 2019 Feb 21;12(2):e227644. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2018-227644. PMID: 30796078; PMCID: PMC6388891.
[v] Henninge J, Pepaj M, Hullstein I, Hemmersbach P. Identification of CJC-1295, a growth-hormone-releasing peptide, in an unknown pharmaceutical preparation. Drug Test Anal. 2010 Nov-Dec;2(11-12):647-50. doi: 10.1002/dta.233. Epub 2010 Dec 10. PMID: 21204297.
[vi] Wu C, Borné Y, Gao R, López Rodriguez M, Roell WC, Wilson JM, Regmi A, Luan C, Aly DM, Peter A, Machann J, Staiger H, Fritsche A, Birkenfeld AL, Tao R, Wagner R, Canouil M, Hong MG, Schwenk JM, Ahlqvist E, Kaikkonen MU, Nilsson P, Shore AC, Khan F, Natali A, Melander O, Orho-Melander M, Nilsson J, Häring HU, Renström E, Wollheim CB, Engström G, Weng J, Pearson ER, Franks PW, White MF, Duffin KL, Vaag AA, Laakso M, Stefan N, Groop L, De Marinis Y. Elevated circulating follistatin associates with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Nat Commun. 2021 Nov 10;12(1):6486. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26536-w. PMID: 34759311; PMCID: PMC8580990.
