Pancragen

Pancragen is the synthetic tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp (KEDW). Khavinson described it as an analog of a four-residue fragment shared by insulinotropic polypeptides, and several studies used the C-terminal amide form. Pancragen peptide research covers pancreatic cell differentiation factors in aging cultures, streptozotocin-diabetic rats and glucose tolerance in old rhesus monkeys, which makes it one of the few peptides in this series studied in primates. Research Market supplies Pancragen as a lyophilized research reagent, with purity and identity data for each lot reported on its certificate of analysis. It is sold strictly for laboratory research use.

Chemical structure and identification

• Amino acid sequence: Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp (KEDW); some cited studies used the C-terminal amide, Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp-NH₂
• Form: Lyophilized powder
• Analytical methods: RP-HPLC for purity and mass spectrometry for identity, reported on the batch certificate of analysis

Research applications

• Pancreatic differentiation factors: In young and aged pancreatic cell cultures, pancragen stimulated expression of acinar (Pdx1, Ptf1a) and islet (Pdx1, Pax6, Pax4, Foxa2, Nkx2.2) differentiation factors [1]
• Tissue-specific differentiation: In human embryonic pancreatic cell cultures, pancragen raised expression of CXCL12 and Hoxa3, with a stronger effect in late-passage cultures [2]
• Aged pancreatic cells: In aged human pancreatic cell cultures, H-Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp-NH₂ increased MMP2, MMP9, Mcl1, PCNA and Ki-67 expression and lowered p53 [3]
• Streptozotocin-diabetic rats: In Wistar rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, the amide form lowered blood glucose and normalized adhesion of mesenteric capillary endothelium, without changing capillary permeability [4]
• Primate glucose tolerance: In old female rhesus monkeys, a 10-day pancragen course increased the rate of glucose clearance and normalized insulin and C-peptide dynamics after a glucose load [5]

Reference citations

1. Khavinson V. et al. (2013). Effects of pancragen on the differentiation of pancreatic cells during their ageing. Bull Exp Biol Med, 154(4):501–504. PMID 23486591 · DOI
2. Khavinson V. et al. (2012). Peptides tissue-specifically stimulate cell differentiation during their aging. Bull Exp Biol Med, 153(1):148–151. PMID 22808515 · DOI
3. Khavinson V. et al. (2012). [Tetrapeptide stimulates functional activity of the pancreatic cells in aging]. Adv Gerontol, 25(4):680–684. PMID 23734516
4. Khavinson V. et al. (2007). Effect of pancragen on blood glucose level, capillary permeability and adhesion in rats with experimental diabetes mellitus. Bull Exp Biol Med, 144(4):559–562. PMID 18642713 · DOI
5. Goncharova N. et al. (2014). [Impact of tetrapeptide pancragen on endocrine function of the pancreas in old monkeys]. Adv Gerontol, 27(4):662–667. PMID 25946840

Literature summaries describe published preclinical research and are not claims about this product’s effects in humans or animals.