Kisspeptin 14 human – Neuroscience Peptides

The biologically active C-terminal region of Kisspeptin. Kisspeptin, is cleaved from a 145 amino acid precursor to a 54 amino acid peptide in humans and a 52 amino acid peptide in mice. Smaller isoforms of 14, 13 and 10 amino acids have also been isolated in humans, each sharing the common C-terminal sequence. Kisspeptin-14 (KP-14) has equivalent receptor binding efficiency and potency to full length Kisspeptin. Kisspeptin, a product of the KISS1 gene, is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that stimulates gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GNRH) neurons and drives fertility. When energy balance is severely altered (either negatively or positively), Kiss1 expression and fertility are compromised. Kisspeptin neurons are responsible for the transmission of key homeostatic information to GNRH neurons, which is likely to mediate the link between energy balance and fertility. Leptin, ghrelin, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), and neuropeptide Y (NPY) have been suggested as modulators of this process. Kisspeptin binds specifically to the G-protein-coupled receptor-54, now known as Kiss1r, which is expressed in almost all GNRH neurons. Kisspeptin plays an essential role in reproduction, and Kiss1r mutations have been isolated in cases of defects in sexual development. Kiss1r is also expressed in other areas of the brain and periphery, highlighting other possible roles for kisspeptin outside of reproduction. Due to kisspeptins importance in reproduction it is synthesized in excess to ensure reproductive success.