Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide developed in Russia as a stable analogue of the naturally occurring tetrapeptide tuftsin. Like Semax, it emerged from a Russian neuropeptide research programme and is registered as a pharmaceutical product in Russia for specific medical indications. Outside that regulatory context it is treated as a research peptide.
What Selank is
Selank is a chemically synthesised heptapeptide whose sequence extends tuftsin — a naturally occurring tetrapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg — with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro tripeptide. The PGP extension confers resistance to enzymatic degradation, extending the peptide's biological half-life relative to unmodified tuftsin. Selank was developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Molecular information
- Sequence: Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro (TKPRPGP in one-letter code)
- Number of residues: 7
- Approximate monoisotopic mass: ~751 Da (as the free acid)
- Origin: Structural analogue of tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension
- Physical form: Typically supplied as a white lyophilised powder
Areas of published research
Selank has been the subject of research across several domains:
- Anxiety-related research — animal and clinical studies published in Russian-language literature have examined its influence on anxiety-related behaviour in rodent models and, in the Russian regulatory context, on human anxiety states.
- Immunomodulatory research — as a tuftsin analogue, Selank has been studied in the context of immune-cell function; tuftsin itself has a documented history in immunological research.
- Neuropeptide signalling — the peptide is used as a research tool for investigating the interaction between innate immune signalling and central-nervous-system regulation.
- Cognitive research — some studies have examined effects on memory and attention in animal models.
Research history and current interest
The research programme leading to Selank ran through the 1990s and 2000s, developing tuftsin-analogue peptides with improved metabolic stability for research and, in Russia, medical applications. The peptide continues to attract interest primarily in the Russian and international peer-reviewed literature, and as a research tool for anxiety and immunomodulatory studies. Researchers outside Russia should note that Selank is not approved as a medicinal product in most jurisdictions and is treated strictly as a research peptide.
Analytical considerations
For laboratory work with Selank:
- Identity by mass spectrometry. The observed molecular mass should match the theoretical ~751 Da. Selank contains no methionine and no cysteine, so oxidation-related mass shifts are less of an issue than with peptides such as Semax.
- Purity by HPLC. The peptide is relatively short and hydrophilic; reversed-phase HPLC methods should be chosen to give adequate retention. See what is HPLC peptide testing.
- Batch documentation. A batch-specific COA is essential — see how to read a peptide COA.
- Solubility. Selank is generally water-soluble at research working concentrations.
Further reading
Peer-reviewed literature on Selank is accessible via PubMed and specialist neuropeptide journals. Searches on "Selank" or "TKPRPGP" return studies across anxiety-related, immunomodulatory and neuropeptide-signalling contexts. See the Semax profile for a related peptide from the same research programme.
Research Use Only. This profile is an educational overview of Selank as a research peptide. It does not describe or recommend human, veterinary or clinical use in any jurisdiction. Peptovia Research supplies Selank strictly for in-vitro laboratory research. No dosing, administration or therapeutic guidance is provided or implied.