Cortagen

Molecular Weight: 430.4 g/mol
Molecular Formula: C17H26N4O9
Other Known Titles: AEDP, Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro
Appearance: white powder
Storage: 2-8°
Purity: ≥99%

Cortagen is posited to be a synthetic tetrapeptide with the sequence Ala–Glu–Asp–Pro, originally designed based on amino acid analysis of the polypeptide complex cortexin. It is classified among the so-called Khavinson peptides – a family of short peptide bioregulators that are proposed to modulate endogenous regulatory systems rather than acting as classical receptor agonists or enzyme inhibitors. These are low-molecular-weight peptides that are posited to be able to penetrate cells and reach the nucleus, where they may interact directly with DNA and chromatin structures in mammalian research models.

In vitro studies suggest that AACC may be a preferred DNA-binding sequence for Cortagen, raising the hypothesis that it may selectively support transcription at gene sites containing this motif and thereby exert epigenetic-like actions on gene expression. Currently, it appears to be under investigation in laboratory settings for its potential to support stress signaling in different cell cultures, including nerve cell circuits.