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What is GHK-Cu?
GHK (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine) is a naturally occurring tripeptide found in human plasma. It was first described in 1973 by Pickart and Thaler, who isolated it from human serum. GHK has a high affinity for copper(II) ions and readily forms the copper complex GHK-Cu.
The structure in brief:
- Three amino acids: glycine, histidine and lysine (C14H24N6O4, about 340 g/mol), a very small peptide
- In the 1:1 complex, Cu(II) is held by three nitrogen atoms: the N-terminal amine of glycine, the deprotonated amide nitrogen of the Gly–His peptide bond, and a nitrogen in the imidazole ring of histidine
Why it is studied:
GHK-Cu has been investigated in laboratory and animal studies, for example:
- Copper transport: early cell-culture work showed that GHK forms complexes with copper(II) and increases copper uptake into cultured liver-derived cells [1]
- Extracellular matrix: its effect on collagen synthesis has been studied in fibroblast cultures [2]
- Wound-healing models in animals [3]
- Gene-expression studies exploring which cellular pathways GHK may influence [3]
Much of this evidence comes from cell-culture and animal studies, and the findings cannot be directly transferred to humans. GHK-Cu is also listed as a cosmetic ingredient under the INCI name Copper Tripeptide-1.
References
- Pickart L, et al. Growth-modulating plasma tripeptide may function by facilitating copper uptake into cells. Nature. 1980;288(5792):715–717. https://doi.org/10.1038/288715a0 (PMID 7453802)
- Maquart FX, et al. Stimulation of collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+. FEBS Lett. 1988;238(2):343–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-5793(88)80509-x (PMID 3169264)
- Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(7):1987. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19071987 (PMID 29986520)
This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a doctor or qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions about your health or medication.
#peptides #GHKCu #biochemistry #copper #research