Scientific Reference
AHK-Cu (Copper Tripeptide-3)
Evidence profile: Predominantly preclinical
AHK-Cu is a copper(II) complex of the synthetic tripeptide alanyl-histidyl-lysine, a close relative of the naturally occurring GHK-Cu. The two differ only in the first residue: alanine here, glycine in GHK. GHK is found in human plasma and has a long history in the literature as a copper-binding peptide; AHK is a synthetic variant with the histidine in the same position. Published work on AHK-Cu is small and mostly in vitro, using cultured human dermal papilla cells and fibroblasts, and isolated hair follicles kept alive in organ culture. Controlled human studies are scarce, and much of the wider discussion of the compound borrows from GHK-Cu rather than from data on AHK-Cu itself.
Mechanism of Action
In GHK-Cu, the copper ion is held by the N-terminal amine, the deprotonated amide nitrogen between the first two residues and a nitrogen of the histidine imidazole ring. AHK is thought to bind copper in the same way, since its histidine sits in the same position. Copper-peptide complexes of this kind have been studied as carriers that deliver copper, a cofactor for enzymes such as lysyl oxidase and superoxide dismutase, to cells. In cultured human dermal papilla cells, AHK-Cu has been reported to affect cell proliferation and markers of apoptosis, including the balance of Bcl-2 and Bax. Which receptors or transporters mediate these observations has not been established.
Molecular Information
- Type: Copper tripeptide complex
- Length: 3 amino acids
- Molecular weight: 451.39 g/mol
- Molecular formula: C15H24ClCuN6O4-