Cortagen
A synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro) studied in non-clinical models as a short-peptide bioregulator in brain-cortex, peripheral-nerve and gene-expression research systems.
Quick answers
What is Cortagen?
Cortagen is a synthetic linear tetrapeptide of 4 amino acids with a molecular weight of 430.41 g/mol and the formula C17H26N4O9.
How much published research cites Cortagen?
The Luvaminos Cortagen record cites 9 published references, dated 2000 to 2021. Each is listed on this page with a link to its source.
Does Luvaminos test Cortagen, and where is the certificate?
Luvaminos does not currently stock Cortagen. Every peptide lot Luvaminos sells is tested by Freedom Diagnostics Testing, PLLC, an independent laboratory, and its certificate is published at luvaminos.com/coa under the lot number printed on the vial.
How is Cortagen powder stored?
Sealed Cortagen powder: Store sealed and protected from light, frozen (−20 °C, or colder for long-term storage), and desiccated. As a small unmodified linear tetrapeptide of common L-amino acids with two acidic residues, Cortagen would be expected to be susceptible to proteolysis and to degradation from heat, light and repeated freeze–thaw.
Molecular Profile
- Type
- Synthetic linear tetrapeptide
- Molecular formula
- C17H26N4O9
- Molecular weight
- 430.41 g/mol
- CAS number
- 335591-03-2
- Amino acids
- 4
- Sequence
- Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro (AEDP); systematic form H-Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro-OH
- Modification
- Unmodified free N-/C-termini
Mechanism & Target Class
Cortagen belongs to the Khavinson class of short regulatory peptides, sequences of 2–7 amino acid residues proposed to act as epigenetic modulators by entering cell nuclei and interacting with DNA and histone proteins rather than through classical receptor engagement; the class framework is reviewed by Vanyushin & Khavinson (2016) and Khavinson et al. (2021). Cortagen-specific mechanistic data in the verified literature are at the transcript and tissue-response level. A cDNA microarray study (Anisimov, Khavinson & Anisimov, 2004) screened 15,247 transcripts in the hearts of female CBA mice given Cortagen for five consecutive days and reported 234 clones (1.53% of those screened) with significant expression changes, matching 110 known genes across functional categories, with common and peptide-specific effects when compared with Vilon, Epitalon and melatonin. In organotypic cultures, Cortagen stimulated the growth of explants from rat brain cortex, whereas peptides matched to other tissues stimulated their own tissue's explants, which the author described as tissue-specific action (Khavinson, 2001). A direct Cortagen-DNA or Cortagen-chromatin binding study was not identified in the sources reviewed.
Storage & Handling
- Lyophilized
- Store sealed and protected from light, frozen (−20 °C, or colder for long-term storage), and desiccated.
- Handling
- As a small unmodified linear tetrapeptide of common L-amino acids with two acidic residues, Cortagen would be expected to be susceptible to proteolysis and to degradation from heat, light and repeated freeze–thaw; no formal pharmacokinetic study measuring the intact peptide was identified in the verified literature.
Primary Database
References (9)
Reviews
1Khavinson VK, Popovich IG, Linkova NS, Mironova ES, Ilina AR (2021). Molecules
- 2
Vanyushin BF, Khavinson VK (2016). Epigenetics – A Different Way of Looking at Genetics (Springer)
Primary research
3Anisimov SV, Khavinson VKh, Anisimov VN (2004). Neuro Endocrinology Letters
- 4
Kolosova LI, Moiseeva AB, Turchaninova LN, Malinin VV (2002). Doklady Biological Sciences
- 5
Khavinson VK (2001). Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
- 6
Turchaninova LN, Kolosova LI, Malinin VV, Moiseeva AB, Nozdrachev AD, Khavinson VK (2000). Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine
- 7
Zarubina IV, Shabanov PD (2011). Eksperimental'naia i Klinicheskaia Farmakologiia
- 8
Shabanov PD, Vislobokov AI (2013). Reviews on Clinical Pharmacology and Drug Therapy
- 9
Kuznik BI, Pateiuk AV, Baranchugova LM, Rusaeva NS (2008). Advances in Gerontology
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